Hamburg police defend action against blockade at the Climate Academy

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The police in Hamburg has defended themselves against criticism of their actions against a sitting blockade following the climate demonstration. In social media, officials were accused of disproportionate violence against children, including through so-called pain grips.

Police said "a significant number of complaints". Authorities spokesman Timo Zill dismissed these allegations: Operatives had brought some demonstrators off the lane using simple physical force after they failed to respond to several calls and threats of immediate coercion, a statement said on Twitter.

"The task forces have enforced this to the required extent, calmly, deliberately and professionally," says Zill. The officials used among other things the so-called back grab handle. On the road blockade, he said, "Too bad that a few are trying to use this peaceful protest for their own purposes."

Blockade Lombardsbrücke is viciously evacuated. #staying #limission pic.twitter.com/r17tWzJ7qW

For example, in a video distributed on Twitter, police near the centrally located Lombarts Bridge take a young man in a special grip, turn his head to the side and carry him away.

Another video shows one policeman holding on to a protester while another apparently uses painful grips on her hand.

Really bad pain grips! @PoliceiHamburg, does that have to be ?! #Police violence #Climate #Climbing pic.twitter.com/nh3JjZo6FM

"To tackle a climate-related sit-down so brutally is really the last," tweeted Emily Laquer of the "protectionist" interventionist left. Other users wrote that many participants were minors. "Are pain in children used?", It said in a comment.

The alliance called "Sit down!", A coalition of the groups "Ende Gelände Hamburg", the "Interventionist Left" and other initiatives called for a sit-down. According to the police, around 70,000 people had peacefully taken to the streets for climate protection during the demonstration of "Fridays for Future".

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In many countries, millions of people around the world had to protest for more climate protection on Friday - while Chancellor Angela Merkel presented the planned measures of the government after tough negotiations.

The "Fridays for Future" movement, which was mainly supported by students and students, was supported for the first time on a grand scale by other organizations and initiatives. These include the trade unions Verdi and IG Metall, the Protestant church as well as child protection, environmental and aid organizations, artists as well as parents and grandparents' networks.