A series of protest marches across Germany on Saturday against the surveillance activities of America’s National Security Agency (NSA) failed to mobilise large numbers.
Police said just a few thousand people turned out across the country.
Demonstrations had been organised in 30 towns throughout Germany but on a scorching hot summer’s day, the numbers of protestors fell short of expectations from organisers.
In Frankfurt, the authorities estimated that 1,000 people had protested, far fewer than the 5,000 people expected to show up.
Demonstrations in the capital Berlin, and in Munich and Karlsruhe each attracted 500 protestors who marched under banners proclaiming: “Stop watching us!”
There is widespread disquiet over claims, reported by news weekly Der Spiegel, that the US National Security Agency (NSA) has hoovered up German emails, online chats and phone calls and shared some of it with the country’s intelligence services.
German anti-NSA protests fail to get expected numbers
