Mass demonstrations have erupted across Hamburg, Germany, as world leaders gather for the G20 summit, where President Donald Trump is meeting with other world leaders. About 100,000 protesters took to the streets and have staged sit-ins in an attempt to disrupt the first day of the summit. Police fired water cannons, pepper spray and stun grenades to disperse protesters. Key issues on the G20 agenda include climate change, trade and North Korea. Protesters who gathered say the G20 has failed to solve many issues, including climate change and global economic disparities. We speak with philosopher Srecko Horvat, who is taking part in the G20 alternative summit, known as the Global Solidarity Summit. He is the co-founder of the Democracy in Europe Movement, also known as DiEM25.

TRANSCRIPT

AMY GOODMAN: Mass protests are continuing across Hamburg, Germany, as world leaders gather for the G20 summit, where President Trump is meeting with other world leaders. Earlier today, demonstrators staged sit-ins at key intersections in the city in an attempt to disrupt the first day of the G20 summit. According to the German news agency DPA, first lady Melania Trump was unable to leave her hotel because of the protests. On Thursday, about 100,000 protesters took to the streets, marching with banners reading “Welcome to Hell” and “The World is Not for Sale.” Police used water cannons, tear gas, stun grenades to disperse the protests. According to the police, 29 people were arrested. More than 75 officers and dozens of protesters were injured.

Key issues on the G20 agenda include climate change, trade, North Korea and migration. Protesters say the G20 has failed to solve many issues threatening world peace, including climate change and worsening inequality. This is Steve Price-Thomas of Oxfam.

STEVE PRICE-THOMAS: We live in a world where just eight men have the same wealth as the poorest half of the world population — that’s 3.6 billion people — where one in 10 people live on less than $2 a day, where almost 800 million people go to bed hungry every night. And that situation is completely unacceptable. We’re here at the G20 in Hamburg, and it’s essential that the G20 puts reducing inequality number one on their agenda.