De Blasio Heads To Germany To Attend Protest, Other G20-Related Events
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/CBS News) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio was off to Germany Thursday evening to attend several events surrounding the G20 Summit – including a protest.
The Mayor's office announced Thursday afternoon that de Blasio was headed to Berlin and Hamburg to attend the events. Specifically, the Mayor's office mentioned a protest rally called "Hamburg Zeigt Haltung" or "Hamburg Shows Attitude."
A more detailed schedule was to be released later, the Mayor's office said.
The New York Daily News reported the event was billed as "tolerant, diverse and nonviolent."
State Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, who is running for mayor on the Republican side, put out a tweet criticizing and mocking de Blasio's choice to head to Germany. She pointed out problems with the subway system, increases in sex crime, litter on the streets and a rise in the street homeless population as crises that the mayor should be dealing with.
President Donald Trump was among the world leaders in Hamburg Thursday night, holding talks with numerous world leaders and getting ready for his much-anticipated meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the summit.
Protesters clashed with police outside as the president met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
German police used water cannons and pepper spray to disperse protesters after being attacked with bottles and stones by some of them.
Many other groups are calling for peaceful protests and are pushing the G-20 leaders for action to fight climate change and address economic disparities in the world. Some are even calling for the dissolution of the G-20 itself so the United Nations becomes the platform for such discussions.
Hamburg has boosted its police with reinforcements from around the country for the G-20 summit, so that 20,000 officers are on hand to patrol the northern German city's streets, skies and waterways.
