Biden divides Partenkirchen: through-road sealed off – families separated

Created: 06/29/2022, 15:47

By: Christian Deutschländer, Katrin Basaran

Joe Biden's limousine "The Beast" rushes through Garmisch-Partenkirchen on the departure from the G7 summit in Elmau.

© Philipp von Ditfurth/dpa

The through road in Garmisch-Partenkirchen was blocked due to the departure of US President Biden from the G7 summit.

Families were separated.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen – Due to the departure of US President Joe Biden from the G7 summit in Elmau, locals and visitors were unable to cross the B 2, which runs through Garmisch-Partenkirchen, for around an hour and a half.

A part of Partenkirchen was literally cut off on Tuesday morning.

On both sides of the continuous barrier secured by strong police forces, people who wanted to shop or work on the other side gathered.

Through road in Partenkirchen blocked because of US President Biden: Nursing services did not get through

Nursing services in particular faced a problem - they could not get through to their patients who were waiting at home for infusions and insulin injections.

"It's crazy," said Margarita Vollmer from the nursing service of the same name.

Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann showed understanding for the displeasure.

Working with the Secret Service, which protects the US President, is not easy, he later said at the balance sheet press conference.

Information is often vague, then the long road closures: “That is an impertinence for the population.

That's not normal.

I regret that,” said Herrmann.

Nevertheless, those affected took it mostly stoically, sometimes with gallows humor.

Some conceded: "It's annoying" - only to say with relief in the next breath: "But it'll be over soon." The road closure also led to families being temporarily separated: A grandson called sadly for his grandmother on the other Side.

One woman, on the other hand, bridged the waiting time with a gossip magazine that she had bought specially – she actually wanted to meet up with her sister and a friend who were across the street.

Partenkirchen shared when US President Biden left: Mother is allowed to see her child

Although police officers were not even allowed to cross the street, which was almost entirely lined with bars, during the approximately one-and-a-half hour phase with the highest security level, the officers made an exception in at least one case: a young mother was allowed to rush across.

She had just quickly bought some bread - and meanwhile left her small child alone in the apartment.

The convoy itself sped past the onlookers within a minute.

Unlike on the outward journey, this time Biden sat in his famous limousine, the rolling bunker “The Beast”.

The presidential helicopter "Marine One" then brought Biden from Ohlstadt Airport to Munich Airport.

A little later, Airforce One took off from there in the direction of Madrid, where the NATO summit started today.

kb/cd/be