...

French, German police gird for second day of anti-NATO protests

Other News Materials 3 April 2009 13:18 (UTC +04:00)

Police in the French city of Strasbourg and in the German resort of Baden-Baden were preparing for a second day of violent anti-NATO protests Friday as leaders from the 28-member alliance were due to meet there, reported dpa.

The centre of Strasbourg has been sealed off and early Friday resembled a fortress, with miles of barricades manned by police in riot gear and shutters protecting most shop windows.

On Thursday, 300 demonstrators were arrested after pitched battles with police on the outskirts of the city, the online edition of the daily Dernieres Nouvelles d'Alsace reported.

Hundreds of young protesters hurled rocks, broke store windows and set trash bins on fire as police replied with tear gas canisters. The demonstration turned violent after police prevented some 600 people from marching towards the city centre.

In the evening, an estimated 150 youths, many of them masked and armed with iron bars, set up burning barricades and hurled rocks and other objects, damaging houses and cars.

Germany and France have both launched major security operations to keep order during the two-day summit, which marks the 60th anniversary of NATO's founding.

Latest

Latest