The Local Germany

May Day rallies in Berlin and Frankfurt marred by violence

Sun, 02 May 2021 12:20:19 +0200

Politicians in Berlin have expressed anger after demonstrators at a far-left rally threw bottles at police and burned rubbish bins. Clashes between police and protesters were also reported in Frankfurt and Hamburg.

Over 10,000 protesters take to Berlin streets as Germany marks May 1st

Sat, 01 May 2021 22:30:22 +0200

Thousands of people descended on the streets of Berlin and other cities across Germany on Saturday for Labour Day demonstrations, with more than 20 protests in the capital alone.

Fears of serious violence at Berlin May Day protests prove unfounded

Thu, 02 May 2019 12:10:23 +0200

Fears that this year’s May Day protests could see a return of violent street protests in the German capital proved unfounded as police were able to report a minimum of disruption at a left-wing demo.

More than 20 people injured during May Day outing in Bavaria

Thu, 02 May 2019 11:10:42 +0200

Two trailers connected to a tractor carrying dozens of people tipped over during a May Day outing in Bavaria.

Berlin fears resurgent May Day violence as protests move east

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 17:48:58 +0200

From a police ‘no go’ area in the 1980s, May 1st in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district is now one of the city’s biggest parties. But an unauthorized march this year by protesters through the city’s Friedrichshain district may signal a return of the bad old times.

‘Most peaceful in years’: no riots at Labour Day rallies across Germany

Wed, 02 May 2018 11:22:38 +0200

Protesters and revellers alike took to the streets of Deutschland on Tuesday. Despite a large police presence in some cities, the gatherings were largely peaceful.

Berlin escaped May Day pipe-bomb bloodbath

Mon, 07 May 2012 19:34:00 +0200

Berlin police revealed on Monday they had discovered several pipe bombs along the route of a leftist May Day demonstration in the Kreuzberg district of the German capital – which could have caused a bloodbath.

May Day passes (relatively) smoothly

Wed, 02 May 2012 10:58:00 +0200

Berlin and Hamburg saw their most peaceful May Days in years, authorities claimed on Tuesday. But the police were accused of "unbelievable brutality" as one anti-capitalist demonstration was broken up in the German capital.

High-tech water cannon ready for Berlin May Day

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:34:00 +0200

The Berlin police force is preparing to break in its new high-tech water-cannon monster-truck for the annual May Day protests in the German capital, with demonstrations and clashes expected to begin on Monday night.

Riot police attack undercover cops at May Day protest

Wed, 04 May 2011 15:51:00 +0200

Authorities are investigating why two plain-clothes police officers were beaten and pepper-sprayed by their uniformed colleagues during May Day protests in Berlin.

Handful of arrests on mostly quiet May Day

Mon, 02 May 2011 10:13:00 +0200

Police arrested several people after left-wing extremists and the police clashed in the German capital late Sunday following peaceful May Day marches by tens of thousands in the city.

Lock up leftist May Day troublemakers, conservatives say

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:09:00 +0200

In the face of anticipated leftist violence at Sunday’s May Day demonstrations in Berlin, members of Angela Merkel’s conservatives have called for known anarchist troublemakers to be taken into custody as a preventive measure.

Berlin braces for surges in May Day violence

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:32:00 +0200

The anarchist uproar following the eviction of a Berlin squat in January could mean the city faces more leftist violence than usual during this year’s May Day demonstrations. Exberliner magazine's Anne-Lena Mösken spoke to a member of the leftist scene.

May Day clashes in Hamburg and Berlin

Sun, 02 May 2010 11:31:00 +0200

Clashes between far-left demonstrators and police overnight on Saturday in Hamburg and Berlin left at least six officers and a firefighter injured, according to police. But the capital was quieter overall this year than in 2009.

Controversial art project provides audio track for Berlin riots

Sat, 01 May 2010 12:37:00 +0200

A group of artists is offering a controversial take on Berlin’s traditional May Day riots this year, providing live audio for what they consider a mass political performance. But are they simply glorifying the violence?

Upping the Antifa: Leftist riots feared for May Day

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 12:54:00 +0200

A recent surge in politically motivated violence by leftist radicals has German authorities holding their breath ahead of May 1, the traditional day of worker protest. David Wroe reports on the simmering anger on the far left.

Politicians bicker over police attacker penalties

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 10:42:00 +0200

With riots expected at the annual May Day festivities in Berlin and elsewhere, Germany's centre-right coalition government bickered on Monday over whether harsher punishments should be enacted against those who attack police officers.

Police union warns of carnage during May Day protests

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:21:00 +0200

In the face of security gaps and overstretched police, the mounting threat of radical political violence could explode on the traditional protest day of May Day and possibly lead to deaths and hundreds of injuries, the head of the police union warned Thursday.