Germany: A young woman's rooftop suicide bid in Germany sparked a mass brawl between spectators who were encouraging the 21- year-old to jump and a group of homeless people trying to protect her, authorities said yesterday.
The homeless people were angered when some teenagers in the crowd of hundreds started yelling to the woman that she should throw herself from the roof of the town hall of Loerrach, situated in the southwest, said police spokesman Dietmar Ernst.
"Some 35 officers, six of whom were injured during the fight, were needed to break it up," he reported. "Eight participants were arrested, most of them schoolchildren aged between 16 and 19."
While the woman ended up not jumping, Mr Ernst said he was doubtful the brawl had stopped her.
"She was about 70m [ 230ft] up and probably wouldn't have seen much of what was going on," he said.