Police breakup anti-capitalist demos

German police began moving in on hundreds of anti-capitalist "occupy movement" protesters in Frankfurt on Thursday evening (May 17) after some of the demonstrators had set up tents in the city's historic "Roemer" square.

Several demonstrations organised by occupy movement sympathisers scheduled for Thursday were all banned by local courts after the city of Frankfurt expressed concern over possible riots.

Police descended on the protesters to enforce the ban, carrying away demonstrators from the central square and tearing down the tents they had set up.

Occupy movement demonstrators called their actions "Blockupy" as they were trying to block access to Germany's largest banks and the European Central Bank (ECB) headquartered in Frankfurt.