Video evidence: Police started fights on 2 June

Press Release June 3rd.2007

*Video evidence: Police started Fights on June 2nd.
*Cooperation between civil police and "arresting unit"
*Possible framed arrests?

Download at:
http://media.de.indymedia.org/rtsp/2007/06/180647.rm

Rostock. Today a video appeared on the alternative media portal "indymedia" which showed the street battles on June 2nd in a different light.
Whilst Police claimed to have reacted to attacks, it is quite clear in the video that the skirmishes were intentional to create brutal arrests.

The images initially portray a calm situation.The demonstration march from
Schutzower Kiez has reached the city harbour and participants are listening
to a speech about police violence in Brazil.
In the Background a standby police unit from the state of Thueringen prepare
for a snatch.

Into this visibly relaxed scene two civil policepersons appear suddenly and
stand near two men wearing scarves on their faces.A large part of the circa
5000 participants of the "black block" wear scarves on their faces.
Suddenly the police drag down one of the masked men in order to arrest him.
Other demonstration participants join and demand that the police desist in
their provocation.

Immediately an arrests unit already on site rush in and the shove bystanders
and supportive eyewitnesses to the side.
Following this a brawl developed during which a police vehicle was attacked.

This setting subsequently developed into an hour-long struggle with the
police.

"The video clearly shows that police provoked the clashes", one eyewitness
commented.
"The video is without question open to intepretation: the masked guys were
so obvious that a framed arrest definitely can't be ruled out".

Contact Gipfelsoli Infogruppe: 0160/ 953 14 023