The Real Story: 100,000 G20 Protesters

The vast majority of the protesters are peaceful.
Photo credit: AFP via BBC News (See 1. below.)

The real story was not Ivanka Trump sitting in for her father, infuriating anti-trumpers and providing unlimited fodder for the mainline press. Nor was it the Putin /Trump get together or the supposed Russian/US agreement to stop hacking.

It is likely that you did not see the real story in the U.S.: the fact that some 100,000 people came to Hamburg, Germany to protest the G20 meeting.

That’s a lot of people.

Who Are the Protesters
“If the pictures adorning news websites around the world are to be believed, those who descended on the city were masked and largely armed.”

“But it is far from the truth: there are about 100,000 protesters in Hamburg for the G20, and all but a very a few are peaceful.”

“Only 8,000 of those who descended on the city ahead of the summit were deemed a violence risk - and far fewer still were caught up in the clashes which erupted on Thursday night following the Welcome to Hell march.” (1.)

Why were they protesting?
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said that she, ‘“wholeheartedly condemned” the violent riots that erupted in parts of Hamburg during the G20 summit, but praised the many peaceful protesters for “putting pressure” on world leaders.’

Then she stated: “I think that the many, generally civil activities including the peaceful protests on the periphery of the G20 summit venue, they of course helped to again clearly put pressure on us and set expectations, and certainly therefore contributed to us knowing that while we are here meeting, many, many people expect results.” (2.)

From the BBC: “In fact, there is a range of events going on - including an alternative summit which was arranged by a group of non government organizations (NGOs), political parties and others ahead of the two-day G20.”

Yes, more than just Trump publicity stunts happened at the G20 event. 

If we open our eyes and permit ourselves to see, we may be witnessing a historic awakening of people, world-wide, demanding governments change toward life-sustaining policies.

1. G20 in Hamburg: Who are the protesters?, BBC News, 7 July 2017.
2. Merkel praises peaceful G20 protests for 'putting pressure' on world leaders, Emma Anderson, www.thelocal.de, 8 July 2017.