Germany troubled by nationwide protests

Deeper reason for unrest lies in country's severe economic difficulties, experts say

As William Lau hurriedly departed from Berlin for a business trip on Tuesday, he saw that certain areas of the city were obstructed by farmers' protests.

He said he hoped the intensity of the protests would diminish by the time he returned to the city three days later. However, as he sat on the train and attempted to book a return ticket, he realized that he might not be able to return on time.

Starting from Wednesday, German commuters will encounter train cancellations throughout the country because of a three-day nationwide rail strike. The GDL train drivers' union began its main strike in the early hours of Wednesday, following a previous strike by cargo train drivers who had walked out on Tuesday evening.