Rostock - and the mysterious Autonomen

Der Spiegel has a fascinating slide show of the G8 protesters at Rostock accompanying their article claiming that the violent eruption surprised everyone after a peaceful demo which became extremely brutal paralyzing the Baltic Sea port city for many hours resulting on over 430 injured police. Reuters has a story and impressive slide show as well.

It is not without interest that the German Police Union (Gewerkschaft der Polizei (GdP)) criticised the arrangements for security prior to the summit and blamed the US for heavy handed policing and security. Polizeigewerkschaft kritisiert US-Sicherheitsvorgaben . The fortress mentality of the Bush gang doesn't want to see the demonstrators, hear them, or think about them.

The police union chairperson said, "Es ist mir eine Herzensangelegenheit, dass Menschen demonstrieren dürfen, dass der Protest deutlich sichtbar ist. Das ist wichtig für unsere Demokratie." ("It is my heart's desire that people be allowed to demonstrate, [and] that the protest is clearly visible. That is important for our democracy.")

Makes you wonder where all those vioent people arrived from to make the proceedings erupt..the Police called them "autonomen" ..autonomous groups.

This is a picture of the young Nicolas Sarkozy , a politically enlightened youth taking part in the great Events of May in Paris in 1968 when the banlieues erupted.

"Racaille" which De Gaulle should have swept off the streets with his hose ?