8:24 p.m. – Police investigate suspicious package
After the discovery of a suspicious package on Bundesstraße 23 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Zugspitzstraße has been closed. Traffic will be diverted. According to a police spokesman, special forces from the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office were requested to examine the package. A BR reporter affected by the closure reports chaotic traffic conditions. The motorists tried to get to their destination on dirt roads.
8:10 p.m. – Rest in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on the day before the summit
In the center of Garmisch-Partenkirchen it was pretty quiet on Saturday. A few locals and tourists were sitting in the cafés and ice cream parlors in the pedestrian zone, most shops had already closed in the late afternoon. The police presence was high – both in the historical center and in the outer parts of the city. Parking lots where police vehicles were parked were sometimes guarded by several police officers.
Officers from the Bavarian police’s “communications team” also patrolled the pedestrian zone to answer questions. Many people took advantage of this offer, mainly to inquire about routes or alternative means of transport, as the local bus association suspended bus services from Saturday (June 25) to Sunday (June 26) due to the G7 summit. A demonstration against the summit is planned for Sunday in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
7:50 p.m. – Political expert hopes for a signal of unity
Foreign policy expert Jana Puglierin from the think tank “European Council on Foreign Relations” (ECFR) hopes that the G7 summit in Elmau will send a “strong signal” of Western unity, “in terms of their attitude toward Russia, but also support for Ukraine.” The G7 format has worked very well together since the beginning of the war, Puglierin said in a BR extra. She also hopes that the G7 “does not present itself as an exclusive club” but manages to “broaden the alliance” in dialogue with the invited countries from Africa and Asia.
7:32 p.m. – Chancellor Herrmann welcomes US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
The head of the Bavarian State Chancellery, Florian Herrmann (CSU), welcomed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at Munich Airport. Herrmann tweeted several pictures and described the encounter as an “honor”. He also wrote: “We warmly welcome you to the G7 summit in Bavaria. The USA and Bavaria are close friends. We stand by the transatlantic partnership.”
7:03 p.m. – Police buses are supposed to bring 50 G7 opponents near the castle
With police cars, 50 G7 opponents are to be brought to the demonstration near Elmau Castle on Monday as part of a star march. The district office issued a corresponding decision on Saturday. It remains the case that the participants are driven in police buses from the Klais train station near the castle. The activists had criticized this because, in their opinion, it was not compatible with the right of assembly.
6:55 p.m. – US government praises Germany before G7 summit
Before the start of the G7 summit, the US government underlined the importance of the close partnership with Germany. “Germany is a strong NATO ally,” said the Communications Director of the National Security Council in the White House, John Kirby, to journalists on the flight to Munich.
6.50 p.m. – Klais: A small town dedicated to the G7 summit
The small town of Klais with 200 inhabitants between Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Mittenwald is all about the G7 summit. From here the only road leads up to the conference venue Schloss Elmau. Hundreds of police officers secure the route and control all access roads. Sandra Steinhauser, mayor in Klais and member of the Krün municipal council, sees the summit with mixed feelings. “Many are already wondering why it has to take place here again after 2015,” says Steinhauser. In principle, however, the summit is very important from their point of view, and “they have to meet somewhere.” But many people in town would also be surprised why there had to be so many police. “What the whole emergency services are doing with fuel alone, of course you’re wondering, especially in these times.” Overall, she hopes that it will be as peaceful as the first summit. Many families also left Klais for the weekend, which is easily possible thanks to distance learning for the school children. Most of the residents who stayed in the village followed the events at the summit and the police operations calmly.
6.30 p.m. – On BR24extra from 7 p.m.: The day before the summit
The Werdenfelser Land awaits the G7 heads of state and government. How are the preparations going, what expectations and fears do the citizens have for the summit, how did the first protests against the summit go?
That BR24 extra from 7 p.m summarizes the most important events of the day before the start of the G7 summit at Schloss Elmau. Live here on BR24 – the stream starts at the top of the article.
6:26 p.m. – Scholz arrived at Schloss Elmau
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) arrived at Schloss Elmau in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the evening, where he will be hosting the G7 summit for the next three days. The chancellor flew to Munich in a government plane and then on to Elmau in a helicopter.
5.30 p.m. – Scientists are demanding more money from the G7 for climate protection
Before the start of the G7 summit, scientists asked the participating states for more money for climate protection. More money is needed than the 100 billion US dollars that industrialized countries have promised to countries particularly affected by global warming, said Axel Berger from the German Institute for Development and Sustainability in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
5:19 p.m. – Scholz not on Söder’s welcome tweet
Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder welcomed the G7 heads of state and government to Bavaria in advance via Twitter – but one is missing from the accompanying photo: Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). “Grüß Gott in Bavaria!” It said on the photo. Pictured were US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida – six heads of state and government. Ironically, the host Scholz is not there. This was also noticed by some Twitter users. “I only count six,” wrote one user. Others also remarked that the chancellor, of all people, was missing. “He’s not a guest,” countered another. Germany is hosting the summit.