State of exception? First Aid by Street medics

Street medics provide medical first aid to the participants of demonstrations, often having to stay close to clashes to case their help is needed. During G20 protests some became victims themselves, as the legal aid reports.

In a press release the legal aid (Ermittlungsausschuss) mentions (Press release #14):

“During the afternoon, street medics were called to tend to the injured on the Fischmarkt. In the Hafenstrasse, the paramedics got caught in a police control, but could pass after alerting the police of their function as street medics. After not finding any injured person, the paramedics stopped about 500 meters from clashes between protestors and police. 20 minutes later a large police unit (Hundertschaft) came running and pulled the driver and her passenger out of the car. The police held the passenger in a headlock, threw the driver to the ground and stepped on her head and shoulder. She was bruised on the collar bone, upper arm and shoulder and needed to be treated in hospital. Her glasses had fallen to the floor and were crushed by police. While the police took the details of the street medics, they themselves refused any identification.”

 

Tending to the injured

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Welcome to Hell demonstration: Street medics tend to an injured person at the Hafenstrasse promenade while around them other protesters still climb over the wall. By Risande Tyskal

“Welcome to Hell” | An eye witness report with pictures

Manifestation at the Fischmarkt

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"There was a good atmosphere at the St. Pauli Fischmarkt, when thousands of protestors met there early on Thursday evening under the slogan "G20 Welcome to Hell". Manifestation and a music programm brought about 10.000 people to the Fischmarkt - about 7000 of them later lined up for the demonstration."

“There was hitting and kicking, mainly by the police”: Summary of a witness report about the escalation of the Welcome to Hell demonstration on 6 July 2017