Protests against Qatar in Hamburg near G20 headquarters

CAIRO 7 June 2017: A number of Germans and Arabs “who are refusing to the Qatari policies” announced Thursday that they are going to protest near the Group of Twenty (G20) international forum headquarters in Hamburg during two days starting Friday.
Sources told Egypt Today that the Egyptian delegation will be participating in the protest that will chant against the Qatari “funding and backing of terrorism”. The demonstrators will issue a memorandum to the G20, demanding them to cut diplomatic relations with Qatar, and “not to allow them to direct their money towards backing and funding terrorism.”

The G20 international forum, which will be held in Hamburg, Germany, will take place during two days and is titled “Towards building a communicated world”. Several other organizations and protestors announced earlier that they are going to organize demonstrations against capitalism, American president Donald Trump and other leaders expected to participate in the forum.

Hamburg residents are “upset” by Chancellor Angela Markel for hosting the forum with predictions of “violent actions” protesting polices and leaders.

Qatar’s relations with several Arab and Gulf States have been strained since May 24, when the Qatari state-run news agency reported Sheikh Tamim bin Hammad Al-Thani’s statements regarding Gulf foreign policy with Iran as “unwise”.

On June 5, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Libya and Yemen decided to cut all diplomatic ties with Qatar, hurling allegations that the state supports terrorism. Ports and airspace were cut off to Qatari vessels.

The G20, founded in 1999, is one of the biggest economic forums, which includes governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies. Its membership consists of 19 individual countries plus the European Union (EU).