Refugees on hunger strike in downtown Berlin

BERLIN Some 20 refugees who participated in the 600-kilometer-long march from Wurzburg to Berlin and now on a hunger strike in front of the Brandenburg Gate. They have announced that they will organize a protest to stop the deportation of refugees and the living conditions of asylum seekers in Germany. Refugees on hunger strike in downtown Berlin Google News in German reported that about 70 asylum seekers gathered three weeks ago in Berlin, after having completed the 600 kilometers long march, which was organized to demand abolishment of the current German law on asylum. They have since established a makeshift refugee camp in the Berlin district of Kreuzberg. The participants of the hunger strike at the Paris Square, in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, are taking only water and tea. "We are serious and this is no joke," said one of the protesters, who added that the plan was for the strike to last indefinitely. The protesters yesterday improvised a camp at the foot of the Brandenburg Gate, which the Berlin police later than evening demolished, because the refugees were "violating the law on public gatherings". Many tourists and passers-by in the vicinity of one of Berlin's most important landmarks reacted differently to the scenes. Berlin resident Eno Lenze said that the situation of the refugees was "obviously very difficult, since they have decided on a hunger strike in order to attract public attention to themselves". Several tourists did not, however, seem to be too distressed when they saw the refugees lying on cardboard, covered with blankets and jackets to protect themselves from the cold. An elderly couple of tourists believed that the square "was not the place for a hunger strike", and that the demands of the refugees "were not fair". Tanjug

Refugees on hunger strike in downtown Berlin

Google News in German reported that about 70 asylum seekers gathered three weeks ago in Berlin, after having completed the 600 kilometers long march, which was organized to demand abolishment of the current German law on asylum.

They have since established a makeshift refugee camp in the Berlin district of Kreuzberg.

The participants of the hunger strike at the Paris Square, in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, are taking only water and tea.

"We are serious and this is no joke," said one of the protesters, who added that the plan was for the strike to last indefinitely.

The protesters yesterday improvised a camp at the foot of the Brandenburg Gate, which the Berlin police later than evening demolished, because the refugees were "violating the law on public gatherings".

Many tourists and passers-by in the vicinity of one of Berlin's most important landmarks reacted differently to the scenes.

Berlin resident Eno Lenze said that the situation of the refugees was "obviously very difficult, since they have decided on a hunger strike in order to attract public attention to themselves".

Several tourists did not, however, seem to be too distressed when they saw the refugees lying on cardboard, covered with blankets and jackets to protect themselves from the cold.

An elderly couple of tourists believed that the square "was not the place for a hunger strike", and that the demands of the refugees "were not fair".