Police under probe for conduct during G20 summit

A total of 35 police officers are being investigated in the wake of violent clashes between protestors and authorities during the recent G20 summit, a Hamburg interior authority spokesperson confirmed to German newspaper Die Welt on Friday.

A total of 27 of the 35 cited cases concern allegations of bodily harm caused by police officers.

Hamburg Mayor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has defended police officers and denied excessive use of force at anti-G20 demonstrations.

"There was no police violence," he told radio channel Nordeutscher Rundfunk on Friday before information about the ongoing investigations was made public.

In riots which lasted for several days surrounding the G20 summit, almost 500 police officers were injured, dozens of cars were set ablaze and shops were looted.

Some reports have accused the police of provoking the clashes and being unnecessarily aggressive towards peaceful protestors.

Scholz rejected such claims and described the police's role at the summit as "very brave" and "very difficult."