Riots in Leipzig: Stones and Bengalis fly again

For the third night in a row, violent protesters march through Leipzig’s Connewitz district. They threw pyrotechnics, threw stones and smashed windows. The police declared the demonstration over, but it is still in action.

After two nights of serious unrest between protesters and security forces in Leipzig, the situation in the Connewitz district deteriorated again in the evening.

Again, violent protesters roam the streets. Despite the ban, they set off fireworks and threw them at police officers. The window panes of the new buildings were thrown with stones. According to initial estimates by the police, around 500 people had gathered for the recorded demonstration.

Resolved demo

Due to the violations, the assembly authority officially ended the demonstration. The Leipzig police announced it on Twitter.

The police are back on the scene with a large contingent and are still on duty. Water cannons and a police helicopter support the security forces. According to a reporter for the German Press Agency, several people were arrested. Tram traffic stopped in the southern part of the city.

Protest after the evacuation of occupied houses

Today’s event was recorded as a demonstration against gentrification and displacement. The protests on Thursday and Friday night were reactions to two squatters in Leipzig, each of which had been terminated by the police. Leipzig Police Chief Torsten Schultze said the attackers were “obviously left-wing extremists.” A total of nine officers were slightly injured.

With the occupations and violent clashes, the affordable housing debate suffered a serious setback, said city chief Jung. “You don’t create a living space by attacking police officers and setting fire to barricades.”

The important housing debate is becoming much more difficult now, because now lost confidence must be regained. Like other big cities, Leipzig is struggling with rising rents and pressure from displacement.