Arrests in Hamburg in May Day rioting

May 1, 2010, 10:23 GMT

Berlin - Police clashed with 150 far-left demonstrators in Hamburg early Saturday, detaining seven, as security services braced for rioting to spread to other German cities on May Day.

Violence, with brawls between leftists and rightists, burning barricades and damage to banks and shops, has been an annual ritual for more than two decades in Berlin, Hamburg and other German cities. May Day is a public holiday celebrating workers' rights.

Police said the Hamburg violence left 13 police injured as well as a passer-by hit on the head by a thrown stone.

In Berlin, 4,000 leftist revellers gathered on the streets late Friday, and some bottles were thrown at police, but there was no fighting. On several streets, riot police stopped the party after midnight by pushing the crowd away.

Berlin police mobilized to keep 3,000 demonstrators at a midday Saturday neo-Nazi event in Berlin away from opponents. Police said the leftist counter-demonstration was likely to be 10,000 strong.