1705993363
There were large-scale protests in Berlin, Cologne and Munich as well as elsewhere – in a total of around 100 different locations.
The protests were triggered by material from the investigative journalism center “Correctiv”, according to which AfD representatives met with extremists in Potsdam in November to discuss the expulsion of immigrants and “unassimilated citizens” from the country. Representatives of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) were also present.
Photo: dpa/scanpix
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a Social Democrat, took part in one of the demonstrations. He said any plans to deport immigrants and citizens would be “an attack on democracy and therefore on all of us.”
The AfD confirmed that its representatives would take part in the event, but emphasized that the party’s proposals do not apply to naturalized German citizens. The suggestion, which referred to “unassimilated citizens,” allegedly came from Austrian right-wing extremist Martin Sellers, who is not a member of the AfD. The seller was banned from entering the UK and the US.
Photo: Reuters/ScanPix
In Berlin, around 100,000 people gathered in front of the Reichstag building.
On Sunday, a demonstration in Munich was canceled due to too high a turnout. Police estimated that around 80,000 people were present, while organizers said there were around 200,000 participants.
A planned demonstration on Friday in Hamburg was also canceled, with more people attending than planned. According to police, around 50,000 people had gathered, but organizers estimated the number at 80,000 because the demonstration was stopped before some participants even reached their planned venue.
On the other hand, according to police estimates, around 10,000 people demonstrated in Cologne. Around 35,000 people took part in the democracy demonstration in Frankfurt on Saturday.
The demonstrations were peaceful.
#PHOTO #widespread #protests #rightwing #extremist #politics #Germany