Protestors Try to Bar Access to Europe's Central Bank

Police say 2.5K attend largely peaceful 'Blockupy' protest
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted May 31, 2013 8:43 AM CDT
Protestors Try to Bar Access to Europe's Central Bank
German police officers guard the Deutsche Bank building during a demonstration of some hundred anit-capitalism Blockupy protesters in front of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt.   (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Protesters swarmed the European Central Bank in Frankfurt today, with a police-estimated crowd of 2,500 gathering in an effort to to block access to the institution. The "Blockupy" demonstration comes in response to officials' approach to the region's debt crisis, Reuters reports. Anti-capitalist protesters—holding signs reading "Humanity Before Profits" and "War Starts Here"—were met by an armed police presence outfitted with riot gear and dogs. But though there were some reports of stone-throwing, the event was largely peaceful.

"The aim of this blockade is to prevent normal operations," said a rep for Blockupy, who added that some employees were indeed barred from accessing the bank. The bank, for its part, said it was trying to stay open today. Demonstrations are planned across Europe tomorrow. (More Germany stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X