The Associated Press

FRANKFURT, Germany — German police and thousands of anti-capitalist protesters are engaged in a standoff near the headquarters of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt.

Police in Germany's financial capital say about 7,000 protesters have gathered after officers encircled a group of about 200 to 300 people for refusing to remove face masks.

Read the full story.

 

Thousands of demonstrators from the anti-capitalist Blockupy movement cut off access to the European Central Bank in Frankfurt on Friday to protest against policymakers' handling of Europe's debt crisis.

The crowd, estimated by police at roughly 2,500 protesters, was met by armed police wearing helmets and riot gear and accompanied by Alsatian dogs. Trucks with water cannons stood by and a helicopter hovered overhead.

"The aim of this blockade is to prevent normal operations (at the ECB)," said Blockupy spokesman Martin Sommer, adding that some people who had tried to come to work had been sent home by the protesters. Read the full story.

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All photos by Kai Pfaffenbach / Reuters

About 1,000 people dressed as zombies as part of “zombie walk” in downtown Frankfurt on July 7, 2012. The event was organized via social networking.

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German riot police carry a demonstrator covered in paint as police clear the camp of a group of occupy protestors in front of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt on May 16, 2012.

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