Munich car fair protesters occupy house, block street

Opponents of the German IAA car and mobility trade fair, under way in the southern city of Munich, blocked a street and symbolically occupied a vacant house on Saturday, reported dpa.

A spokeswoman for the alliance, which calls itself "No Future for IAA," said that the aim was to protest a system in which houses stand empty as speculative objects despite a lack of apartments and open areas, while public space is made available to car companies.

The police surrounded the blockade, which was peaceful.

Around 100 activists used human chains and sit-in blockades to prevent access to the street near Munich's central Theresienwiese fair grounds, where the Oktoberfest beer festival takes place each year.

Some climbed onto the roof of the building and lit smoke pots there. They also hung up a "Welcome to the Future" poster. The stunt caused minimal traffic disruption.

The IAA car show is being held in Munich for the second time. It began on Tuesday and runs through Sunday.

It is being accompanied by protests and stunts by various groups. Two major demonstrations are planned for Sunday. One of them could lead to clashes between protesters and police, as happened two years ago, observers warn.