Cologne [Germany], September 1: Police and anti-war protesters in Germany were accusing each other of violence and misconduct on Sunday after a march in Cologne's city centre erupted in violent clashes the night before.
Officers admitted using physical force, including batons and pepper spray on participants at the protest, whose organizers reported on Sunday that dozens of people injured by police. Police, meanwhile, said 13 officers were injured and four of those could no longer carry out their shifts after the march attended by 3,000 people in the western German city erupted in violence.
The anti-war protest comes amid a massive boost in defence spending in Germany and following a landmark government agreement that paves the way for Germany to return to conscripting young men into its military if it cannot find enough recruits. Although the legacy of World War II long left strong anti-war sentiment in Germany, many political leaders see the need to re-arm and reinvigorate the country's military in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Source: Qatar Tribune
