Germans Storm Police HQ : Thousands Rifle Hated Unit’s Files

Tens of thousands of demonstrators stormed the headquarters of the hated Stasi secret police today, hurling furniture from the windows, urinating on walls, rifling through files and tearing up papers.

The protesters, ignoring appeals to refrain from violence, rampaged through the security police headquarters for an hour as an estimated 100,000 people demonstrated outside in a rally called by the New Forum opposition group, East German television said.

The opposition New Forum called the rally to demand a quicker dismantling of the state security police, which is being dissolved by the new government but still employs 55,000 of its original 85,000 full-time workers.

Opposition leaders interrupted their weekly “round table” meeting with government officials and raced to the building in an effort to bring the protest under control. An opposition leader issued an appeal by television for the demonstrators to halt their action.

East German Premier Hans Modrow, who warned earlier that violence, strikes and the mass flight of refugees could cause East Germany to “disintegrate,” also rushed to the headquarters to appeal for calm.

He was met with catcalls and whistles when he tried to address the crowd.

Protesters shouted “We are the people! We are the people!” as they rushed into the building. Witnesses said they scattered documents and looted wine, food and clothing from storerooms and closets.

The demonstrators at first rushed past a handful of policemen who stood by apparently unconcerned.

Once inside, thousands crammed the staircases and rabbit warren of corridors looking for surveillance equipment, files and signs of luxury.

They hung a skeleton outside the building with the slogan “Against a Revival of the Stasi.”

East German television interrupted its programming to read a government statement that said the country’s young democracy was in “great danger.”

The occupation of the building, whose entrance had been bricked closed by workmen earlier in the day, ended after an hour. Witnesses said the secret police headquarters was plundered and damaged during the rampage.

The protesters said they were unable to find members of the secret police inside. “The Stasi people all had disappeared as we entered,” one demonstrator said as he left the building.

Crowds congregated outside the building as the occupation ended. Opposition leaders used loudspeakers to urge the crowd not to enter the building again, and members of opposition groups formed a human chain around the structure.

“We must avoid all violence,” said Konrad Weiss of the Democracy Now Party.

Earlier today, the prosecutor general told the government and opposition negotiators at the round table talks that former East German leader Erich Honecker and Stasi boss Erich Mielke face possible charges of high treason.

High treason carries a maximum penalty of death in “exceptionally grave cases” and a minimum of 10 years in prison.

Honecker was toppled by the wave of protests in October and replaced by Egon Krenz, who was also dumped.