Small groups made up mostly of anti-capitalist protesters battled german police as the protest groups attempted to enter the red zone. The aim of the protesters seems to be to prevent the summit participants, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin from traveling to the summit site for talks.

The protests trapped U.S. First Lady Melania Trump in her hotel in Hamburg, The New York Daily News reported. She was not given clearance to leave the hotel because of the G20 protests that turned violent. While her spokesman said the situation is unfortunate, the FLOTUS tweeted to send her regards to people wounded in the protest action.

She was supposed to join other G20 spouses in scheduled events such as a river cruise and a tour of a climate change center. The Hamburg police, however, could not provide clearance for Melania to leave the hotel, Stephanie Grisham, the first lady’s spokesman, said.

The red zone

Some of the protest groups attempted to enter the blocked-off area near the venue of the G20 summit, called the red zone. Other small groups held sit-in across Hamburg, CNN reported. The sit-in participants came prepared with umbrellas and rain gears which they found handy as the police used water cannon to disperse the sit-in groups.

They were dispersed because the protesters planned to storm the police barricades around the red zone.

A Dusseldorf student said they are protesting the creation of a red zone because it is not consistent to have a red zone in a democratic country. The student acknowledged they cannot stop all the leaders from attending the meeting, but preventing food from reaching the G20 participants would be considered an achievement.

Another student said their aim is to disturb the G20 summit. The protesters consider it wrong for a few countries to decide for the rest of the world at the summit.

Injuries among policemen

Reuters reported that almost 79 police officers were injured in the clash with the protester near the venue of the G20 summit. The police used water cannons and pepper spray on the protesters in black who threw bottles at the German cops.

Three of the officers needed to be treated in a hospital. The injured include helicopter pilots who suffered eye injuries when laser pointers were used on them by protesters who damaged vehicles, burned objects and threw bottles. The clashes lasted until midnight. The greeting of the protesters for the world leaders for the two-day meeting was "Welcome to hell."
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