Dutchman jailed in Germany over violence at G20 protests

A 21-year-old Dutch national has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison in Germany for his part in riots at the G20 summit in Hamburg.

The Hamburger Morgenpost named the man as Peike S. and said he had been in custody since July 7. He was accused of injuring two police officers by throwing bottles at them, breach of the peace and resisting arrest.

S. made no statement in response to the charges, but his lawyer claimed he was the victim of mistaken identity. She told the court that the person who threw the bottle was described by witnesses as having ‘rasta dreadlocks’, unlike her client. She also said he had lain down in the foetal position when being arrested to protect himself from being kicked.

However, S. was found guilty and sentenced to two years and seven months in jail. The sentence was a year longer than the punishment demanded by the prosecution.

Loud cheers reportedly broke out when S. was brought into the courtroom in handcuffs on Tuesday morning to face the charges. His parents and two other supporters from the Netherlands were in the public gallery.

He is one of 109 people who have been charged in relation to the disturbances outside the G20 gathering in Hamburg on July 7 and 8 this year.

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