Thousands to protest against austerity at ECB HQ

Thousands of people are expected to march in Frankfurt on Wednesday to protest against austerity policies they blame on the European Central Bank, as the ECB inaugurates its new high-rise headquarters.

The gathering follows protests in Cyprus outside a meeting of the ECB’s decision-making Governing Council and marks dissatisfaction with the powerful institution, which has sought to distance itself from political wrangling in the eurozone.

“The main reason for the protest is that the ECB is in the troika and the troika is responsible for the austerity policies that have pushed so many into poverty,” said Ulrich Wilken, one of the organizers of the ‘Blockupy’ protest which will take place near the ECB’s €1.3bn headquarters.