Protesting against next week's G8 summit

Rocks, bottles and sticks have been hurled at riot police, who are using tear gas and batons charges to try to disperse the hundreds of rioters. However, the violence only involves a small portion of the estimated 30,000 people police say had joined the rally. They are protesting against next week's G8 summit of leading industrial nations in Heiligendamm, 25km away. More than 160 groups of anti-globalization activists, left-wing groups, students and anarchists had been taking part in the march.

Organizers had predicted that 100,000 people would be joining the protest, and though the police estimates of 30,000 are much lower, the BBC's Tristana Moore in Rostock says many more people are still arriving in the city by bus and train. Masked protesters have broken up paving stones to use as projectiles and overturned and torched several vehicles, spreading a pall of black smoke over the area. The challenge for the police now is to contain the violence and ensure it does not reach that concert area, she adds. Organizers at the concert have been making announcements urging people to stay where they are and not venture over to the part of town where the violence is taking place, but, according to our correspondent, many have been leaving to do just that.