Protesters injured at least 160 police officers, set up burning barricades, damaged street signs and scaffolding and ripped up paving stones on Friday seeking to wrest control of the streets of Hamburg as leaders from the world’s biggest economies enjoyed a concert at the newly finished Elbphilharmonie.
The escalating violence prompted Hamburg’s police to call in reinforcements from around Germany to help the 15,000 officers already deployed to the northern port city for the G20 summit.
Three officers required treatment in hospital, police said, noting that protesters had used slingshots as well as thrown bottles and stones. At least 70 people were detained and 15 were taken into custody, police said.
Police used water cannon to repel protesters as police lines were also pelted with objects.
