Police cars have been set on fire, windows smashed and stones thrown at police and firefighters at a demonstration timed to coincide with the opening of the new European Central Bank headquarters in Frankfurt.
Anti-austerity protesters were gathering in the city under the #blockupy and #18M hashtags to demonstrate against the so-called "Troika" of the ECB, the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund who oversee bailout packages in the eurozone.
Several thousand riot officers pursued what they said was a minority of violence-minded activists as the bulk of protesters conducted themselves peacefully ahead of a rally in the city's main square. Some blocked bridges across the Main River or streets. Police said one officer was injured by stones thrown near the city's Alte Oper opera house
So far 350 people have been detained, Frankfurt police said Wednesday morning.
German broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported that 10,000 Blockupy protesters were expected to attend today's events.
Authorities have set up a security zone of barricades and barbed wire around the new ECB building.
Police cars were set on fire:
#frankfurt geht heut unter!!!! A photo posted by Alisa (@xxmolldollxx) on Mar 18, 2015 at 12:16am PDT
1.Polizeirevier in #Frankfurt / #EZB #18m #Blockupy #18nulldrei pic.twitter.com/enDKoLBFBd— Polizei Frankfurt (@Polizei_Ffm) March 18, 2015
Smoke could be seen rising into the sky over the city:
Rauchwolken über #Frankfurt / #EZB #18M #18nulldrei #Blockupy pic.twitter.com/beKKfmyt6W— Polizei Frankfurt (@Polizei_Ffm) March 18, 2015
Demonstrators hurled objects at police and firefighters:
A video posted by Residencia 60314 (@60314estiloboa) on Mar 18, 2015 at 12:57am PDT
Our firefighters are being attacked. Please stop doing that! #Blockupy #18m #m18 #18nulldrei— Feuerwehr Frankfurt (@feuerwehrffm) March 18, 2015
Additional reporting by The Associated Press