Hundreds of thousands of people marched in the German capital today to protest the planned Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

Organisers, who include environmental groups, charities and opposition parties, say around 250,000 attended the march.

They say the agreement between EU states, the US and Cananda will lower environmental, food safety and employment standards, and have opposed the secretive nature of negotiations surrounding it.

“This is the biggest protest that this country has seen for many, many years,” said Christoph Bautz, director of activist group Campact, addressing the crowd.

According to Reuters, a police estimate put the number of attendees at only 100,000. No incidents of violence were reported.

Pressure has been growing in Germany and across the EU to prevent the agreement, with one online petition receiving over three million signatures already.

Opponents say it will put too much power in the hands of multinational corporations, and that it is undemocratic and non-transparent.

However, proponents of the deal say it could be worth over $100bn to both North American and European parties. 

Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel warned, in a letter published today in many German newspapers, against “scaremongering.”

“We have the chance to set new and goods standards for growing global trade. With ambitious, standards for the environment and consumers and with fair conditions for investment and workers. This must be our aim,” he wrote.