No, no actual riots occurred (until the following day, at the May Day presentations). Turns out it was a Tokio Hotel concert. Tokio Hotel is something like the German version of N’Sync or Take That, except there’s more instrument playing and yelling, and less synchronized dancing. Same number of shrieking pre-teen fans. I think they managed to make at least one of my eardrums explode, and we weren’t even at the concert (just poking around outside trying to make sure we didn’t miss a good riot).
The riot police weren’t there so much to protect the band from the fans, but rather from the anti-fans. Apparently there are people who hate Tokio Hotel so much that they hang out outside their concerts to throw stuff at the group as they are making their getaway. The band came out under the cover of umbrellas to jump in their van and hurry away into the night, while beer cans and eggs flew through the air and hooligans angrily held up middle fingers in the general direction of the fleeing teen band. We were amused.
you are getting so jaded it takes riot police in full gear to amuse you