Munich Security Conference 2020 – Demonstrations & protests

Munich Security Conference: Protests in the context of global politics

Munich – Every year, the Munich Security Conference brings together the who’s who of international diplomacy. But from 14 to 16 February 2020, the spotlight was not only on politicians and military leaders: Outside the conference doors, numerous protesters made their presence felt – and quite loudly too.

Among other things, various groups criticised the increasing militarisation and influence of the arms industry. Their appeal: more diplomacy, less weapons. The restrictive immigration policies of some countries also came under fire. Instead of isolationism, the protesters called for a fair distribution of responsibility for refugees.

The protests were largely peaceful, but there were occasional scuffles with the police. The police had increased security precautions in advance to avoid disturbances – a precautionary measure that was rarely put to the test this weekend. So – at least for the most part – it remained with loud voices instead of loud sirens.