G20 Protestwelle demonstration in Hamburg
Turnout lower than expected
On Sunday, 2 July, the ‘G20 Protest Wave’ demonstration took place in Hamburg, organised by an alliance of political and environmental organisations under the slogan ‘Another policy is needed’. Activists came out to call for, among other things, inclusion, environmental protection and fair trade, and to express their disagreement with the policies and the format of G20 summit, which is to bring leaders of the twenty world’s major economies to Hamburg on 7–8 July. According to the organisers, 25,000 people took part, many carrying banners, flags and other attributes, while the police puts the turnout at 8,000.
The demonstration first started at Rathausmarkt square by the city hall where just several hundred activists gathered by the stage in the rain, others crowding under the roof. By the beginning of the march the weather had improved and the square was filled up.
One of the major topic in the demonstration was the environment with such organisations as Greenpeace and BUND present in strong numbers. Demonstrators and speakers called to uphold the Paris Agreement, and to abandon coal and atomic energy. Another major issue in the demonstration was neoliberal policy, activists urging to move towards a more egalitarian international financial system, discard international agreements such as TPP and CETA and implement fair trade rules to benefit developing countries. These are mirroring the main topics to be discussed during the summit.
President Trump was mentioned repeatedly from the stage in the context of the US pulling out of the Paris Agreement and his signature refugee ban. The audience was responding with boos and whistles. Many activists displayed banners with anti-Trump slogans, some had large signs with an angry emoji intended to look like Trump.
Later in the afternoon the protesters moved out to the reggae music of Berlin Boom Orchestra — a band famous for their political songs — and marched around the empty city centre occasionally chanting anti-G20 slogans and followed part of the way by the ‘Boat demonstration’ in the lake by Rathausmarkt.
Flags, signs, banners, balloons small and large, and other attributes were in abundance in line with the announced ‘Sea of banners’ at the demonstration. Banners addressed a range of issues from democratisation of international politics (‘We need G7,7 billion’) to tax policy (‘No tax heavens [sic] for the super-rich’).
The participants came from all over Germany — the crowd let out a big cheer when participants from Berlin were called from the stage — as well as Europe. According to the organisers, 25,000 people participated, and the police estimated the turnout to be 8,000, which is much lower than the expected 50,000 to 100,000 demonstrators. The organisers said that despite the unfortunately lower than expected attendance — partly blaming it on the weather — the event still showed that the call for a change in G20 policy enjoys support in the society.
Early in the evening, after the protesters arrived back to the stage, the police described the protest as ‘very peaceful’. However, later, by the end of the demonstration when relatively few people remained to listen to the performance by another Berlin band Grossstadtgeflüster, the activists of the protest camp arrived at the square holding their tents up as banners and setting up a camp at the square. They refused to leave, and the police used force to clear the square of the sit-in.
Several protest camps were planned to be set up: G20 Camp in Altona, the largest public park in Hamburg, and Anti-Capitalist Camp in Entenwerder park. The police raided both camps and prohibited sleeping there. The activists are challenging the authorities in court and insist on being allowed to house demonstrators. With hotels and hostels virtually sold out, anti-G20 groups are cooperating with social NGOs involved into providing shelter to the homeless and lead the campaign asking Hamburg residents to host activists.
About 30 registered demonstrations and protest actions are expected in the run-up to the G20 Summit later this week.
