国际英语资讯:Hamburg mayor rejects calls to resign after violent G20 protests_时事

国际英语资讯:Hamburg mayor rejects calls to resign after violent G20 protests

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party in Hamburg, which acts as the municipal opposition, demanded that Scholz resign as a consequence of his failure to assess the security situation correctly.

Reacting to such criticism, Scholz admitted that he too was "frightened" and "depressed" by the excessive violence and looting witnessed over the course of the G20 summit. He admitted that authorities had failed to ensure everyone's safety as expected by residents.

The mayor defended the police's role in the protests as "heroic" and called for those who had engaged in looting and street fights to be punished severely.

The demonstrations marked a "brutalization" of society which was "unacceptable", Scholz went on. He demanded explanations from the left-wing extremist scene in Hamburg which had "invited" violent protestors to the city.

Scholz received cross-bench support from the Chief of Staff of the German Chancellery Peter Altmeier. Speaking to NDR on Monday, Altmeier said that he "could not see a reason why he should step down".

While German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the G20 had achieved "good results" in "some areas", she joined in the criticism of escalating violence at demonstrations which was "intolerable".

Merkel promised that her government would assist those residents affected and promised to discuss the provision of financial compensation with Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble.