Old people’s home to G20: Please no riots!

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The Schanze district in Hamburg, where the G20 summit takes place, is regarded as a stronghold of the left-alternative scene. In the middle of a retirement home. There is a Banner calls for peaceful protests.

Punks, environmental activists, graffiti and organic food stores dominate the Schanzenviertel in Hamburg. The house walls are plastered with political posters – the most terminate at the moment the dates and places of the many Anti-G20 protests.

For weeks, local activists will meet in district centres to Protest against the summit of 20 heads of state and government on 7. and 8. To coordinate July. But in the district, even non-political people’s lives.

In the direct vicinity of the safety zone

The 174 residents of the Elizabeth nursing home. Only a green system separates the residence for the elderly of the security zone around the G20 conference centre. The old home is sticks a peaceful place with bright rooms, a large garden and even their own bees.

Outside the door a contrast. On the main road, cars and bikes rushing past. Several times a year, also smaller and larger demonstrations are held here. In such a politicized district is nothing Unusual.

But if the leaders of the G20 summit only a few metres further on, will there be protests, this time more violent. It is considered likely that there will be days of violent clashes between protesters and police.

A call for peace

This is also due to the expected guests: U.S. President Donald Trump, the Russian head of state Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced. For anarchists and activists from the left-alternative scene, the Meeting of their political hate figures is a good opportunity to make their displeasure known.

The largest of the Anti-G20 protests will involve more than 100,000 protesters. Of 15,000 police officers from Hamburg and all over Germany, will then be prior to and during the summit.

Old home Director, Wilhelm: people in need of care seniors can Yes way not just during the summit

The Hans-Jürgen Wilhelm, the head of the nursing home are encouraged orders of this sheer size, to resort to unusual measures in order to protect its residents and staff. Three huge banners now adorn the building. To the fact We wish all peaceful encounters in English: “! Elisabeth Nursing Home,” “We wish you all a peaceful encounters – Elizabeth nursing home.”

The appeal is aimed primarily at thousands of demonstrators and police officers who come from outside the Hamburg Schanze district, says Hans-Jürgen Wilhelm of the DW. “We want to make clear that it is in this house to a nursing home. We hope that both sides take into account the fact that in this house the elderly, the auxiliary non-life needy people that can just go away and the need to stay here.”

Old home Director Wilhelm is since weeks in close contact with the police. The access of ambulance and emergency services was not guaranteed, he says. The home does not have enough ordered food supplies, so that the protests run out of food scarcity.

Seniors can not get out of the rest

The inhabitants of the old home look, however, with stoic Serenity on the protests. One of them Seriously, Nack, 92. For two years he lives in the home located in the hill district. “We know the atmosphere here,” he says. “It certainly leads to riots easily. That doesn’t affect me but. There are clever and stupid people. Both probably want to on the road. For me personally, it makes no Worries.”

The motto for employees and residents: don’t panic – but prepare for a state of emergency to be

Klaus thatone, however, is worried. He is responsible for the coordination of care in the home responsible. This time he’ll be bigger things to Worry about than other major events before. The biggest Problem was that the staff controls are likely to come through the Chaos and the police to be late for work.

The nurses, he had warned: of course, possible that colleagues appear to be too late or not even come through. Also the relatives of residents were informed about the Situation. Thatone says, they would support the measures, also the Banner on the building. And for the case of the cases, the Management of the nursing home, two security guards for the night, I made.

Why Hamburg?

The home for Elderly people-employees, meanwhile, remain calm in the face of the summit. Martina Schuldt works in the administration. She says it’ll been a lot of talk about the G20, but there is little fears. “However, many wonder whether it even makes sense at all, the summit in Hamburg, rather than a tournament, it would be well also other locations, the sense of security of the population also into consideration.”

Riots with the announcement: An Anti-G20 banners in front of the old home

Also on the window of the opposite house, on the street side of the old home, flutters a Banner. “Let’s smash the G20 now” – “Let’s G20 destroy”. Every day, new graffiti, the call for demonstrations and even attacks against the summit.

Care coordinator Klaus thatone says that those who Trouble search, should stay away from the nursing home: “If you riot want to, then do it, but please not here with us. We don’t belong, even if we are here very close to the venue.”

The voltages around the Elizabeth nursing home at the thresholds already. But the people who live and work there, are determined to protect your small oasis of calm.