Washington Times: German police blame foreigners for G8 riot

Published: June 3, 2007 at 11:47 AM

ROSTOCK, Germany, June 3 (UPI) — German police Sunday blamed foreign groups bent on violence for the riot that injured nearly a thousand police and protesters at a German rally against G8 policies.

Most of the 125 people arrested Saturday in Rostock came from outside Germany, Deutsche Welle reported.

Police and protest organizers Sunday said those arrested had infiltrated the largely peaceful demonstration aimed at the G8 summit to be held this week about 16 miles away in Heiligendamm. The G8 is a consortium of the world’s eight richest industrial nations.

The protesters who were arrested were from Austria, Bulgaria, France, Japan, Russia, Spain and Sweden, said police, who reported finding tear gas canisters bearing Cyrillic script.