Associated Press
BERLIN — Police in southwestern Germany have hit protesters with water cannons and pepper spray as they demonstrated against a disputed railway project.
Police spokesman Fritz Erlach said 1,500 to 2,000 protesters were at the Stuttgart protest, and several hundred officers were on hand.
Erlach had no information about whether anybody was injured, but German news agency DAPD reported clashes with police left dozens slightly hurt.
Protests against the euro4.1 billion ($5.5 billion) Stuttgart 21 project, which foresees moving the city’s station underground, escalated Thursday amid preparations to fell some 300 trees at the construction site.
Erlach said a fence was built to surround the area and the situation calmed down.