In Germany, thousands of demonstrators have held protests against US spying activities in major cities, including Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg.

Despite high summer temperatures, activists from the Stop Watching US network organized the demonstrations, in as many as 35 major German cities on Saturday.

The protesters voiced support for former CIA employee Edward Snowden, who revealed worldwide internet and phone spying activities carried out by Washington’s National Security Agency (NSA).

In June, Snowden, leaked documents showing the US spied on the European Union and monitored up to a half-billion German telephone calls and internet activities each month.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the German government had no information on the NSA spying and that she raised the issue with US President Barack Obama last month. However, opposition groups remain skeptical of the chancellor's claims.

On July 26, German President Joachim Gauck said that Snowden deserved respect for defending freedom.

He urged Merkel to enter binding agreements with Germany's allies in order to secure freedom of privacy.

Snowden has been staying at the Moscow airport transit zone since June 23. He applied for temporary asylum in Russia last week.

The protesters on Saturday have also voiced support for US Army Private Bradley Manning, who was arrested in Iraq in 2010 for handing over classified files and documents to whistleblower website, WikiLeaks. He has been charged with espionage and about 20 other offenses.