Eyewitnesses have reported that the trouble started when a provocative arrest was made in the road near the rally. You have to ask why the Police would want to kick things off when the demo had been so peaceful? No one had deviated from the route of the march. No banks or corporate concerns had been scrawled on or attacked. In fact nothing illegal had happened at all. So was this just an attempt to justify the tens of millions spent on the Police operation? Or perhaps a useful way of declaring a state of emergency so people could be harassed and detained in the run up to the blockades?

Unsurprisingly the demonstrators gave a very good account of themselves. The demo had the biggest and most disciplined Black block seen for some time. The Police tactic of charging into the crowds thumping everything in sight only succeeded in recruiting more people who were up for confrontation. The cops usually found themselves beating a hasty retreat under a hail of bottles and rocks that were available in abundance. Not a very smart place for them to kick things off?

It has to said that their body armour is impressive to say the least. They were barely flinching as large house bricks were bouncing off them. It should also be pointed out that if people are going chuck masonry around they should be confident about their aim first. Rostock hospital was full to bursting last night and many of those being treated were injured by friendly fire.

Most of those present were trying their best to calm things down. Forming peaceful lines trying in vain to persuade the Police to remove the cause of the confrontation (themselves). Thousands of people were enjoying the concert away from the trouble. The actions of the Police was just recruiting more to the punch up. Batons were being used on anything that moved. Many of the Police looked like they had just indulged in some base speed after a week on the piss. Eventually the organizers of the event managed to negotiate some kind of Police withdrawal and things calmed down.

For a while…