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Protester disrupts ECB news conference

April 15, 2015

A female protester has interrupted a news conference at the European Central Bank, yelling "end the ECB dictatorship" and leaping atop the table where ECB chief Mario Draghi was delivering his speech.

https://p.dw.com/p/1F8zL
Aktivistin stört Pressekonferenz der Europäischen Zentralbank in Frankfurt am Main
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B. Roessler

Security guards had to carry the young woman from the building after she charged at European Central Bank president Mario Draghi during a press conference at the bank's headquarters in Frankfurt on Wednesday.

"End the ECB dictatorship," she shouted, as she jumped onto the table and threw what appeared to be confetti and sheets of paper over the bewildered bank officials. The woman's black T-Shirt bore effectively the same slogan, albeit intentionally misspelt: "Dick-tatorship."

Aktivistin stört Pressekonferenz der Europäischen Zentralbank in Frankfurt am Main
The young women, in her 20s, threw papers and confettiImage: AFP/Getty Images/D. Roland

The press conference was stopped briefly, while the woman - smiling broadly - was carried from the room by two men in suits. The event resumed shortly afterwards.

Feminist activist group FEMEN, known for its topless protests, later claimed responsibility for the stunt on Twitter:

The ECB has often been the target of protesters angered by austerity measures imposed on their countries by the European Union. Dozens of people were injured when a Blockupy demonstration in Frankfurt coinciding with the inauguration of the ECB's new headquarters last month turned violent.

Aktivistin schüttet Papierschnipsel über EZB-Präsident Draghi
Despite Draghi flinching, eyewitness reports suggested the protester didn't actually touch himImage: picture-alliance/dpa/B. Roessler

nm/msh (Reuters, AFP)