Demonstrators have taken to the streets in several European countries to protest against a controversial new international copyright treaty, which they say will undermine freedom on the internet.
The biggest demonstrations against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) were in Germany, where organisers said more than 150,000 people took part in protests in 60 cities carrying placards proclaiming 'Freedom on the internet' and 'Reform of copyright laws'.
The participants are adding their voice to world-wide opposition to the treaty, which is aimed at setting international standards for enforcing intellectual property rights and reducing online piracy.
Protests against the treaty, which has been spearheaded by a range of international industry groups such as the motion picture business, also took place in Bulgaria, Poland, Malta, the Czech Republic, the Baltics states and Slovenia.
In some countries, members of the parliamentary opposition also joined the demonstrations.
The scale of the protests, however, also reflected the rising popularity in Europe of the anti-establishment Occupy political movement and the Pirate Party, which argues that people have a right to download content online without having to pay for it.
With protesters braving icy cold weather, rallies were held in several cities throughout Poland - the biggest demonstration was in Poznan, western Poland, and drew about 300 people, local media reported.
Some 2000 people turned out in Prague.
Many of the protesters wore masks to identify with the hacker movement.
'It was a successful, peaceful and loud demonstration,' said Roland Jungnickel, one of the organisers of the rally in the German city of Munich.
'The large numbers protesting was a sign of how important the issue is.'
A total of 31 countries - including the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea - have signed the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA).
The total also includes 22 of the 27 members of the European Union.
On Friday, however, the German government said it had decided to delay signing the agreement so as to have more time to further consider aspects of the treaty.
This followed a similar move by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who froze the treaty's ratification process last week, saying internet users had not been fairly represented at meetings on the treaty.
However, the move by Berlin drew sharp criticism from the influential German Federation of Industry (BDI), which said the government's move would damage Germany's image as a centre for innovation.
'As an exporter of many quality products, German industry is badly affected by the rising incidence of counterfeiting along with all its consequences for the labour market and tax revenues,' said BDI chief executive Markus Kerber.
