Protests against the "Conference on Security Policy" in Munich, Germany

Saturday 2 February

Short summary since 7pm: Today 7000 people had been in the streets protesting against NATO and war - despite all meetings outside had been strictly forbidden before. The police tried again and again to prevent meetings and spontaneous demonstrations by encircling groups of demonstrators and arbitrarily arresting some of them.

Altogether at least 400 people have been arrested today, most of them (280) at a mass arrest at a place near the main train station. People had been encircled there the whole evening, than they were brought to a police station where they had to stay outside in the backyard half the (cold) night. there are also reports that arrested people had been locked up in very small cages waiting for a recognition-official handling.

The house of the "DGB" (the roof organisation of german trade unions), where the press conference and international discussion meeting with some hundreds of participants took place, has been surrounded by police for several hours. For a long time police said they would not let people leave from there without being controled. TradeUnion-people mentioned the last time that police threatened an official trade-union-building was in 1933 when the german nazi-fascists had their seizure of power...

6.21pm: Several hundred people are still demonstrating in Munich's inner city.

5.22pm: Several groups surrounded by police in the area Frauenstr./Isartor/Talstr.; police first tried to arrest everyone, then retreated on one side to let people out

4.18pm: Confrontations between demonstrators and police - police using pepper spray and batons, some protesters responding by throwing bottles.

4.11pm: The demonstration is stopped at Talstrasse. Several groups are surrounded and blocked in by police. There are many arrests. However, groups of protesters are moving all over the city.

3.30pm: 4000-5000 people have broken through police lines and are now moving fast towards Marien square. Water cannons are approaching, good mood in the demo.

2.40pm: Solidarity demonstrations in Kiel, Berlin, and other cities. Thousands protest against a Nazi march in Bielefeld.

2.37pm: The demonstration (3-4000 people now) has stopped at the corner Frauenstr. and Zwingerstr. When demo attempted to move police baton charged - many injured protesters.

1.42pm: People have been gathering at Marienplatz, despite the ban. When attempting to start the demo as planned, most of the crowd got surrounded and blocked in by police. Police is now retreating slightly, the demo is moving off towards Isar Gate (as planned).

1.30pm: Buses from Berlin, Freiburg and Kvln, which have been stopped by police on their way to Munich are now on their way to N|rnberg to meet for spontaneous demonstration at the main station.

11.50am: Reports are coming in that whole buses travelling to Munich are prevented from reaching their destination; several hundred people were arrested last night, including people who were arrested while they were shopping; many of those arrested were prevented from calling legal aid (which is your legal right); several arrested are reportedly held in cages.

Friday 1 February

9.50pm: 2000 people demonstrate in Zuerich in solidarity with the Munich and New York protests; police attack the protesters with water cannons and tear gas

9.50pm: Several spontaneous demonstrations happening in various parts of Munich in the evening; arrests and minor confrontations between protesters and police; overall an estimated 250 arrests so far.

6.50pm: Police disperse people very aggressively, several injured, many arrests for no apparent reason. Short report

6pm: 2000 people in "Marienplatz", riot police try to disperse the crowd, surround parts of them.

5.30pm: People are gathering in the main square (Marienplatz) for a "press conference". After day-long police-harassment, police are keeping a low profile at the moment.

1.30pm: small demonstration against the ban on freedom of speech: People are walking through the city with blank, white banners.

A "red zone" has been established around the conference venue - no protesters allowed in. Controls all over the city, people are prevented to get to Munich by car or by train. Several people involved in the network which called for the protests have been arrested.

A major rally in Munich's main square had been planned for today but was declared illegal yesterday, as was the big demonstration planned for Saturday. Instead, pleople are now planning to distribute flyers all over the city: "Resistance can not be prevented". For Saturday the idea is to take part in large numbers in the winter sale in Munich's city-center.

Thursday 31 january

All planned demonstrations and rallies against the Nato meeting were declared illegal by the city council today. Activist groups and NGOs challenged the ban in court, but the complaint was rejected.

Nevertheless, the actions are going ahead. A first demonstration took place in the early evening. 2000 people demonstrated peacefully in Munich's central square against the Nato meeting and against the ban on demonstrations. See pictures of before the demo started here. After the demonstration, one activist was detained by the police - the reason referred was his former registration as an activist and the (at the time not yet decided) demonstration ban.

In the morning, an established, legal infoshop - which was going to serve as infopoint during the days of action - had been raided by police.

Generally, the run-up to the events has included wide-spread attempts of intimidation and repression by the Munich city council and the police. All infrastructure, such as sleeping places for the expected thousands of protesters, infopoints etc. was blocked or cancelled due to government pressure. The venue for a benefit gig was told it may face closure if the gig went ahead, each and every attempt to mobilise for the protests has been facing the risk of legal consequences. Known activists were "warned" in letters or by telephone calls not to take part in demonstrations. Freedom of speech, movement and assembly are heavily restricted.

The local media have played the well-known role of stirring up fear of "violence" by "leftwing extremists", who allegedly want to make Munich a "second Genoa". Thereby they have tried their best to justify heavy-handed police actions, a ban on protests and a criminalisation of protesters. They have effectively turned reality upside down by accusing anti-war protesters - and not the generals and army officials meeting in Munich - of "violence".