Police are preparing for a large demo

Created: 06/23/2022, 17:00

By: Andreas Daschner

Massive presence at the large demo: As here at an anti-corona rally, the police also want to ensure security with a large contingent at the G7 demo on the Theresienwiese.

© Achim Frank Schmidt

Munich is threatened by G7 chaos on Saturday: there are demonstrations related to the meeting of heads of state in Elmau.

In addition, left-wing rioters mobilize.

The police are preparing with a contingent of up to 3000 emergency services.

The police have been warned not only since the arson attack in the Au, where G7 opponents presumably set fire to eight police cars (we reported).

As head of operations and police vice president Michael Dibowski reported yesterday at a press conference, left-wing autonomous groups are mobilizing on social media against the meeting of heads of state at Elmau Castle near Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Are the chaos days coming to Munich?

In any case, Dibowski assumes that there will be a left-wing block with up to almost 1,000 members, which could appear in the planned large-scale demo in the city center on Saturday.

This brings back memories of the riots at the 2017 G20 summit in Hamburg.

Warning to left-wing autonomists

However, the head of operations sends a clear warning to the potential rioters: the emergency services will not tolerate disturbances caused by violence, property damage and other violations of the law.

"Should members of the left-wing autonomous scene try to live out their potential for violence in the protection of the majority of peaceful participants in the meeting, the Munich police will take consistent action against it."

Autonomous left-wing rioters like here are also mobilizing for the demonstration in Munich.

© Klaus Haag

The police will also take strict action against actions taken under the guise of civil disobedience.

These include road blockades or disruptive actions such as abseiling down motorway bridges.

"Legitimate protest ends where criminal behavior begins," says Dibowski.

The focus for the emergency services is a peaceful course of the large demo on Saturday.

It starts at 12 noon with a rally on the Theresienwiese.

For this purpose, officials are assigned to rely on de-escalation.

The demo was registered with 20,000 participants, but Dibowski expects up to 35,000 demonstrators.

The police vice president warns of traffic chaos – especially since the large demo is not the only rally.

Traffic collapse is imminent

A total of 18 meetings were registered with the city that are directly or indirectly related to the G7 summit - most of them in the city center.

There are also events such as the Tollwood Festival, the Fantastischen Vier concert on Königsplatz, the "Mash" action sports festival in the Olympic Park and various summer festivals.

Dibowski is therefore appealing to citizens to leave their cars behind and use public transport if possible.

And another warning: "We will consistently tow away vehicles parked in the no-parking area."

The transfer journeys of the G7 participants could also cause additional obstacles.

When the weather is nice, they should be flown from the airport to Elmau by helicopter.

But if the weather is bad, you will be driven through Munich in cars.

In addition, the summit participants are accommodated in hotels in Munich and commute between Schloss Elmau and the state capital.

Object protection is strengthened

After the arson attack in the Au, particular attention was paid to property protection.

Although there are still no letters of confession, the attack is celebrated in the left-wing autonomous scene.

Dibowski therefore continues to assume left-wing plunderers.

Due to the incident, property security was tightened.

"Unfortunately, we cannot rule out 100 percent that something like this will happen again," said Dibowski.

We want to contain the risk as much as possible.