German police make raids linked to G20 riots in Hamburg

BERLIN: Police conducted dawn raids across Germany on Tuesday as part of investigations into violent clashes between anti-capitalist protesters and officers in the port of Hamburg at the Group of 20 leaders summit in July.



Hamburg police said officers were searching properties of the anti-capitalist group known as the “Black Bloc” in several federal states.

Scuffles between police and some anti-capitalist militants, in particular the Black Bloc, so named because its members wear black hoods and masks, marred the G20 summit, hosted by Chancellor Angela Merkel. Some militants hurled stones, bottles and fireworks.



Der Spiegel Online reported that the raids involved some 20 properties in seven states, including Hamburg, Berlin, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Wuerttemberg and that officers had seized data and communications equipment.

Further details on the raids will be given at a news conference on Tuesday morning. It was unclear if any arrests had been made.