About 3,500 protesters gathered in Munich as the G-7 group of leading economic powers prepares to hold its annual gathering in the Bavarian Alps in Germany, which holds the rotating presidency this year.
Police said earlier that they expected a crowd of about 20,000, but initially fewer people attended the main protest, which began at noon on Saturday, the German news agency dpa reported.
Fifteen groups critical of globalization, from Attac to the World Wildlife Fund, will take part in the demonstrations. Their various demands include the phasing out of fossil fuels, the preservation of biodiversity, social justice and greater efforts to fight hunger.
“My demands to the G7 are that they have a clear commitment to the energy transition, that is, the exit from fossil fuels, all forms of fossil fuels, by 2035 at the latest, so that we can stop financing wars and conflicts,” said Killian Walter. from Greenpeace.
Oxfam members posed for an earlier protest in the city, wearing big heads of G7 leaders and pushing for more global equality. “We need concrete action to deal with the many crises of our time,” said spokesman Tobias Hauschield. “This means that the G7 must act immediately. They must fight hunger, inequality and poverty. ”
German Interior Minister Nancy Feiser called on protesters to refrain from violence. “I expect all demonstrators to protest peacefully, not to hurt anyone and not to destroy any cars or shops,” she said.
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About 18,000 police officers are stationed around Munich and the summit.
The leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan were expected to arrive in Germany on Saturday afternoon to discuss issues such as Russia’s war against Ukraine, the climate crisis, energy and the impending food security crisis. .
“Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine is also having an impact here,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a video podcast on Saturday about rising food, gas and energy prices.
He said G7 leaders would discuss the situation caused by the war, “and at the same time ensure that we stop man-made climate change.”
The summit will take place in Schloss Elmau from Sunday to Tuesday. The leaders of the 30 NATO countries will gather for their annual summit in Madrid on Wednesday and Thursday.
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