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Euronews: German police under fire ahead of G8 summit
A court in Germany has ruled in favour of demonstrators, who want to protest close to the meeting of G8 world leaders next month. German police had imposed an anti-demonstration zone ranging from 2.5 to 6 kilometres away from a huge security fence surrounding the summit in Heiligendamm.
The court agreed with the protestors that the measures violated their right to free speech and assembly, but ruled that there should be a 200-metre buffer zone around the fence.
The 12-kilometre barrier was built this year to protect the world leaders, at a cost of more than a million-euros per kilometre.
It is not the only controversy surrounding security.
Many Germans have been outraged that police have been collecting scent samples from selected activists in early morning raids - a practice which has stirred memories of the hated former East German secret police, the Stasi.
The Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble defended the method, saying police were simply trying to guarantee security for the heads of state.
But senior opposition Green Party leaders organised their own collection of pungent scent samples which they intend to send to the minister.
[http://euronews.net/index.php?page=info&article=424243&lng=1]