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Violence at virus protest in Munich

By AAP Newswire

Dec 23, 2021

German police were attacked at a Munich protest against virus rules. — German police have been attacked during a protest against coronavirus restrictions in Munich. -EPA

Individual acts of violence against police officers and the media have been reported from Munich after 5000 people took to the streets to protest measures meant to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

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Officers on the scene on Wednesday night used pepper spray and batons against unruly demonstrators, police said.

Fourteen offences were registered, including assault on law enforcement officers and wearing insignia of banned unconstitutional organisations. Police made eleven arrests.

Munich police did not go into detail about the officers who were attacked.

Earlier, opponents of the coronavirus measures had initially cancelled a registered demonstration, according to police.

But groups of people who were apparently in contact via internet Messenger services responded to calls later for spontaneous "walks" through Munich.

Ultimately it developed into a protest and the group then headed into the city centre, where police officers stopped the demonstration.

The assembled protesters initially ignored police requests to disperse, but the unapproved march eventually broke up around 9.30pm while a few groups remained in the city centre, according to Munich police.

A different rally by some 160 people opposed to the orginally registered demonstration went off without a hitch and broke up peacefully early Wednesday evening.

By AAP Newswire

Australian Associated Press