The massive attacks on policemen began on Saturday morning, when protesters began throwing rocks and bottles, threw smoke bombs and tried to break through police cordons towards the scene. “The police had to use pepper spray and batons,” the Hesse police said in a statement. There were serious traffic problems in the area where the event took place and vehicles were damaged.
According to the ZDF television channel, similar riots took place in Hesse last year. In recent years, thousands of Eritreans have fled to Europe, claiming ill-treatment by the current regime. The city of Giessen tried to block the festival this year, but a local court struck down the ban.
The Hessian police added that around 1,000 officers from various units were deployed to the event. The report indicates that on the night from Friday to Saturday, some 60 people were detained on suspicion of planning an attack during the event.
