Work crews backed by 250 police have removed parts of the Berlin Wall despite a week of protests.
Four segments of about 1 meter each were taken down early on March 27 from a stretch of the wall known as the East Side Gallery to open the way to a luxury residential development project.
The plan sparked outrage among citizen groups, who accused developers of sacrificing history to profit.
The East Side Gallery is the longest remaining section of the 155-kilometer wall that divided Berlin from 1961 until it was opened in 1989.
At least 136 people were killed trying to escape communist East Germany by scaling the wall.
The outdoor gallery became a major tourist attraction in 1990, when international artists covered it in colorful graffiti images.
Four segments of about 1 meter each were taken down early on March 27 from a stretch of the wall known as the East Side Gallery to open the way to a luxury residential development project.
The plan sparked outrage among citizen groups, who accused developers of sacrificing history to profit.
The East Side Gallery is the longest remaining section of the 155-kilometer wall that divided Berlin from 1961 until it was opened in 1989.
At least 136 people were killed trying to escape communist East Germany by scaling the wall.
The outdoor gallery became a major tourist attraction in 1990, when international artists covered it in colorful graffiti images.
