ICYMI | #120

Our weekly roundup of stories you may have missed.

Tiananmen Square anniversary - protesters arrested

Last week was the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, when police violently suppressed a pro-democracy protest in Beijing, killing hundreds if not thousands of protesters.

In Hong Kong over the weekend, scores of police in armoured vehicles and police vans conducted stop-and-search operations, effectively blocking the city’s Tiananmen vigil, the largest annual event commemorating the massacre. At least 20 people were arrested and detained for ‘breaching public peace’.

Last Generation

On 24 May, German police carried out a series of raids across the country targeting members of the climate protest group Letzte Generation. The group, which has been classified by some police departments as a ‘criminal organisation’ continue to plan protest actions across Germany. They have also relaunched their website, which had been taken down by Bavarian police on the day of the raids.

Kosovo political crisis

There were clashes between Serbian state-backed militants, police and NATO soldiers in Kosovo over the weekend, as political tensions in the region continue to escalate. The current crisis started in April when Serbs in Kosovo boycotted local elections, and then protested when ethnic Albanian candidates were elected to the local councils. Serbian militants were reportedly wearing the ‘Z’ symbol also used by Russian soldiers in Ukraine.

Popular Front in France

Popular Front has released a new documentary about the ongoing protests in France. The unrest in France began in January this year in reaction to President Macron’s pension reforms which increased the pension age by two years and cut pension benefits for various sectors. Click here to read an exclusive new interview with Jake Hanrahan by Johanna Urbancik.

Leipzig anti-fascists clash with police

Clashes between police and protesters broke out in Leipzig on Saturday after a number of prominent anti-fascists were handed multiple-year sentences. Approximately 1500 people took to the streets, despite a court refusal to authorise a demonstration, in protest of the 5-year sentence given to Lina E., a student convicted of participating in organised attacks on neo-Nazis.

War in Sudan

The war in Sudan has escalated following the breakdown of last week's ceasefire talks. Fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF paramilitary has triggered a humanitarian crisis in the region, with over 1800 people killed and 1.6 million displaced. Outside the capital of Khartoum, the fighting has been particularly intense in Darfur, where the memory of the decades-long conflict between Arab militias and non-Arab groups still looms large.

Refugee shelter fire Thuringia

On Sunday, a fire broke out in a refugee shelter in the eastern German state of Thuringia, resulting in the death of one child and the injury of at least 10 other residents. Police said the cause of the fire is unclear and a criminal investigation is currently being carried out. 245 people were living at the shelter, which is now uninhabitable.

This week on Weserstraße:

Tuesday: Rami Abi Rafi, TRU:L

Wednesday: Killa, Tina & KeyClef

Thursday: XJAZZ! Festival, O.N.A & Jadalareign

Friday: Helina, Lavan, Emma Korantema

Saturday: Hypersoft, Makayabundo, Chichi

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Header image licensed under CC BY 2.0.