Hamburg, July 7 (RHC)-- In Germany, more than 100,000 protesters flooded the streets of Hamburg as leaders of the world’s largest economies gathered for the G-20 summit. 

Marchers carrying banners reading "Welcome to Hell" and "The World is Not for Sale" were met by heavily armed riot police, who used water cannons, tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the protests. 

Protests resumed earlier today as demonstrators staged sit-ins at key intersections in the city in an attempt to disrupt the first day of the G20, where U.S. President Donald Trump is meeting with other world leaders. 

A German news agency reported this morning that U.S. First Lady Melania Trump was unable to leave her hotel because of today’s demonstrations. 

Trump arrived in Hamburg on Thursday after spending several hours in Warsaw, Poland, where he delivered a speech and held a joint press conference with Poland’s president.  Trump’s unpopularity in Europe, as well as his apparent disregard for international treaties and human rights, have helped mobilize a massive protest movement this year. 

"He [Trump] is the most disruptive and egotistical leader at the summit," Turkish-German protester Fatima Cicek said told Reuters.  "Trump is here to promote his own interests and those of the richest people in America," said Cicek.  "We are demanding more rights for the millions of people in Africa who have no roof over their heads." 

Protesters say the G-20 is undemocratic and has failed to solve many of the issues threatening world peace, including violent conflicts, worsening inequality and climate change.  "It's ridiculous that police say some of us are violent when starting tomorrow the leaders of the world's largest weapons-exporting and importing nations will be arriving in our city," said Stefan Hubert, a 32-year-old graphic designer who came to the protest on Wednesday with three friends. 

Posters denouncing Trump and the G-20 are plastered across the city.  On Wednesday, the front page of a popular local newspaper, the Hamburger Morgenpost, referred to Trump as a “horror clown.”  In a Pew survey of people in 37 countries around the world published at the end of June, the most popular terms used to describe Trump were “arrogant,” “intolerant” and “dangerous.”