Historic Berlin Wall section removed amid protests

A German property developing firm has removed parts of a historic stretch of the Berlin Wall amid heavy police presence, despite a week of protests.

Builders removed four segments of the so-called East Side Gallery stretch recently to open access to a building site for blocks of flats.

The re-development project has sparked outrage among citizen groups, who say the site is a symbol of freedom.

Workers tried to dismantle the segments on March 1 but were forced to halt their plans when angry demonstrators blocked their path. Another small part of the stretch has already been removed.

Set on the banks of the River Spree, the East Side Gallery is the Wall's longest remaining stretch, measuring 1.3km (0.8 miles).

It became one of the city's most visited attractions in the early 1990s after international artists painted its concrete surfaces with strong images.

Source: BBC