Protesters disrupt start of German air industry showcase

BERLIN - Protesters sitting on the road and shouting slogans such as "Free Palestine" blocked roads leading to Berlin's ILA air show on Wednesday, forcing many delegates to walk to the industry showcase where Chancellor Friedrich Merz was due to attend.

A Reuters witness said dozens of police were at the scene, with a couple of them seen carrying a protester away. Buses could not reach the venue, and hundreds of visitors were walking to the show, some of them complaining about having to do so.

The ILA air show, which traces its roots back to 1909 and runs from June 10-14, will host more than 750 exhibitors from 37 countries this year.

The run-up to the show was marked by the scrapping of a flagship Franco-German fighter jet project that became bogged down in industrial rivalries, underscoring the struggles Europe faces in building military capacity.

(Writing by Matthias Williams, editing by Thomas Seythal)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 3:26 AM.