Peaceful Protest and Horrific Violence

Politicians of DIE LINKE already before criticised the meeting and stressed that peaceful protest was appropriate and necessary. Sahra Wagenknecht commented on her facebook page: "During the G20 summit not the problem solvers are sitting at the table but those who are essentially responsible for poverty and misery in the world through their wars, arms exports and unfair trade policy. Even though such summits are approved by less and less people, now Hamburg, its inhabitants, many police officers, and peaceful protesters have to suffer from pointless violence and destruction." And further: "Peaceful protest is appropriate and necessary. Who, on the other hand, torches cars, smashes windows and injures police, only helps those who do not not want to change the existing unjust world order. Although the intervention strategy of Hamburg and the towns' prohibition of sleeping camps contributed to the escalation, this does not justify to bring the requests of thousands of peaceful protesters in discredit by excessive violence."

Katja Kipping, too, remarked on facebook: "The results of the G20 summit have been expectably disillusioning. No agreements on a fair trade policy towards the global South have been found; Trumps exit from climate protection was merely "acknowledged"; there was no agreement on how to end wars and sustainably remove reasons of flight. Therefore, I am glad that yesterday nearly 80.000 people took to the streets in a peaceful, loud and coulourful manner for "boundless solidarity" and against the politics of Trump, Erdogan, Putin, Merkel and the like. For it is their policy that pushes the world to the brink of existence - socially and ecologically. Unfortunately, the demonstrations of many, raising hope for a better world, were overshadowed by futile violence. We sharply criticise this kind of violence. Torching cars and looting shops are crimes, not a political statement. The intervention strategy of Senator for Interior Andy Grote (Social Democrats) and head of police operations Hartmut Dudde have been a disaster. They are accountable for the prohibition of camps and the obstruction of the basic right of free assembly. Every injured individual, be it a police officer or a protester, is one too many and unfortunately also proof of an obviously failed intervention strategy."

In a declaration the parliamentary group of DIE LINKE Hamburg demands to constitute a board of enquiry: "Due to the G20 summit Hamburg experienced peaceful protests but also terrifying violence. Protesters and police have been injured, consequences for not involved citizens have been enormous. Considering this background we demand to constitute a parliamentarian board of enquiry."