200 residents clash with German police as they try to escape tower block put on lockdown

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German tower block residents have clashed with police in a failed attempt to escape quarantine as the country battles a new spike in coronavirus cases.

The violence erupted after 200 residents tried to charge through a metal barrier keeping 700 people trapped in their apartment buildings in Göttingen.

Eight police officers were hurt as residents threw stones and bottles during the clashes on Saturday, and one man was arrested last night.

The complex was put in lockdown on Thursday after two people were found to be infected, and 120 people had tested positive by Friday.

Authorities have since employed translators and sent out texts in German and Romanian to try and persuade residents that the lockdown is necessary.

A handful of new clusters including the one in Göttingen have sent Germany's closely-watched R rate soaring from 0.86 to 2.88 in just three days, and the number of new cases rose from week to week for the first time since March.

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Footage which circulated on social media showed some of the protesters throwing a crowd control barrier at police during the scuffle.

Göttingen police chief Uwe Luehrig said police had responded with pepper spray after they came under attack with stones and bottles.