German police clashed with anti-G8 demonstrators at an impromptu protest in Berlin late last night, several hours after the Group of Eight summit in Heiligendamm ended, police said today.
German riot policeman push people off the streets during anti-G8 demonstration in Berlin last night
Stones and bottles were thrown at riot police during the three-hour demonstration in central Berlin, although most of the 600 protesters were peaceful, a police spokesman said. Six demonstrators were detained and five arrested.
Several cars were also set on fire in the city overnight. Earlier in the week 30,000 demonstrators succeeded in evading police controls and entering a restricted zone set up for the summit around Heiligendamm, 250km north of Berlin.
They blocked land routes into the village for three days before leaving yesterday afternoon. A police official in the nearby city of Rostock said a total of 1,057 anti-G8 demonstrators had been detained during the week, and 125 had been formally arrested.
There were 17,800 police on hand providing security to the summit, and 43 police helicopters. A total of 443 police were injured, 43 of them seriously. The fire brigade was called in 642 times.
Security for the summit cost €118 million. A 2.5-metre high security fence around Heiligendamm that cost €12 million will be dismantled this week and sold.
There have been bids from zoos, airports and farmers, according to German media reports.