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Jean-Claude Juncker was interrupted by a protester furious at his praise of Karl Marx, as the EU chief delivered a speech in defence of the controversial German philosopher. The President of the European Commission dismissed claims that Marx's ideas that led to atrocities around the world. During a speech lauding his legacy, the EU chief said that Karl Marx should not be judged for the crimes that his followers committed decades after his death. However, at one point during Mr Juncker's address, a protester interrupted the church hall in Trier, Germany, in fury at the celebration of Marx.

Security personel quickly detained the protester and ejected him from the event, and Mr Juncker continued his address. Mr Juncker said: "Anyone would do well in remembering Marx because remembering and understanding are part of securing the future. "Without memory and thought, without understanding memory, there will not be much for the future. "Marx isn't responsible for all the atrocities his alleged heirs have to answer for. "One has to understand Karl Marx from the context of his time and not have prejudices based on hindsight, these judgments shouldn't exist". He went onto discuss Marx's influence on the European Union, saying that Marx's philosophy taught Europeans that it was the “task of our time” to improve social rights. Mr Juncker explained: "The European Union is not a flawed, but an unstable construction. "Unstable also because Europe’s social dimension until today remains the poor relation of the European integration. We have to change this."

GETTY A protester interrupted Juncker's speech where the EU chief praised Marx

GETTY Juncker says German philosopher Karl Marx shouldn't be judged for the crimes of his followers

GETTY Security personel catch a protester during the speech of Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the EC

Marx isn't responsible for all the atrocities his alleged heirs have to answer for Jean-Claude Juncker