Violent protests erupt in Germany as G-20 summit kicks off

(Image credit: Alexander Koerner/Getty Images)

At least 76 police officers were injured Thursday when 8,000 protesters, some violent, hit the streets of Hamburg ahead of the G-20 summit.

Police said three officers have been hospitalized, including one who was wounded when a firecracker exploded in their face. Several shops and cars were vandalized by protesters wearing black masks, police said, and other demonstrators threw rocks and objects at officers and pointed laser lights at a police helicopter. Police have not shared how many protesters have been arrested or injured, but did reveal that pepper spray and water cannons were used to try to break up the crowds. More than 20,000 officers will work during the summit, as 100,000 protesters are expected to march in Hamburg throughout the event.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.