A cultural event organised by Eritrean nationals resident in Germany on Saturday turned violent after dozens of people, including 26 German police officers were injured.
Police in the southwestern German city of Stuttgart said in a statement on Sunday that along with the 26 officers, four people participating in the Eritrean cultural festival and two protesting against it were injured and were being treated at the hospital, while 228 people were taken into custody in what the police said was a “massive violence” between the two groups.
The clash, according to the police statement, was the latest in a string of incidents at such events in Germany and elsewhere, with fights breaking out between Eritrean government supporters and opponents.
The Stuttgart police force described those attending as “supportive of the dictatorial regime of President Isaias Afwerki that rules the Horn of African country” and opponents of the regime.
“Some 300 officers were deployed to deal with several hundred opponents of President Isaias Afwerki’s regime who came out to protest the event,” a media report on the incident said on Monday.
“Protesters were assigned an area to demonstrate, but they headed for the meeting venue, police said. The demonstrators then charged at those participating at the event, throwing metal rods and rocks at the police.
“Police officers used pepper spray and batons to break up the crowd. Participants at the venue were moved to a safer location under police protection. Officers took down notes of those protesting. The event was all but over in two hours.
“Shortly before the event was set to begin Saturday afternoon, around 200 protesters gathered in the area outside and began throwing stones, bottles, and other items at police officers and participants of the event.
“The conflicts surrounding gatherings like Saturday´s highlight the deep divide among members of the Eritrean diaspora, those who remain close to the government and those who have fled to live in exile and strongly oppose Isaias.
“Saturday´s protests were the latest in a string of unrest surrounding Eritrean cultural events in Germany and elsewhere. In July, a clash at an Eritrean festival in the western German city of Giessen left 22 police officers injured”, the report added.