Protest against the measures of the crown: mass clashes in Kassel

Thousands of people from the camp of lateral thinkers demonstrate in Kassel against the measures of the crown. There were clashes with the police. Officials used pepper spray and batons.

During a demonstration against Corona’s measures in Kassel, there were massive clashes between protesters and the police. According to police reports, several thousand people had gathered in the city center. They ignored the instructions of the authorities during a demonstration that was not registered. According to the police, the emergency services have been attacked on several occasions. “We do not tolerate such attacks. Peaceful protest looks different,” police wrote on Twitter.

There were arrests and use of pepper spray and batons when so-called lateral thinkers attempted to break a police chain. There were also skirmishes with the counter-protesters. Journalists were verbally attacked and abused

Tram traffic in the city center is completely stopped. Several streets were also closed to automobile traffic. Motorists were asked to drive a lot in the area. The police made an “urgent appeal” on Twitter to the protesters to “adhere to hygiene rules.” Most of the protesters did not wear masks and did not comply with distance rules. Among other things, the banners read: “No more confinements”, “Söder away” and “Merkel away”.

An estimated 10,000 participants

Police estimated the number of afternoon participants at around 10,000 in the entire downtown area. At the demonstration site approved by the Hessian Administrative Court on the periphery, initially only a few people were there, as reported by the police. Later, however, numerous men and women also gathered there to demonstrate against the policy of the German crown.

The police were on the scene with a large contingent. Hessian forces received support from North Rhine-Westphalia, Thuringia, and Rhineland-Palatinate. Federal police, water cannons and a helicopter also came into action. The organizers called the demonstration under the slogan “Free citizens of Kassel – Fundamental rights and democracy” and announced up to 17,500 participants.

The northern city of Hesse had initially banned the gatherings due to the recent spike in the number of corona infections. It can also be assumed that mainly members of the so-called lateral thinker scene will come, so based on experiences in Kassel and elsewhere, it cannot be ruled out that crown-related requirements will be ignored, the city had argued.