Germany condemns weekend violence, looting in Stuttgart

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman has condemned weekend disturbances in the southwestern city of Stuttgart, where a check for drugs was followed by violence against officers and police vehicles, then widespread vandalism of storefronts. Authorities have said that 24 people were arrested over Saturday night’s disturbances and 19 police officers were injured. Police say several hundred people were involved. Merkel spokesman Steffen Seibert said Monday that the scenes “are abhorrent and must be strongly condemned,” Merkel spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Monday. He added that “anyone who takes part in such outbreaks of violence, brutally attacks police officers and destroys and plunders shops cannot in any way justify it.”