Thousands of Germans took to the streets in several cities to protest the rise of right-wing extremism and the growing popularity of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
At Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, people whistled and sang anti-fascist songs, and in the western city of Cologne, protesters carried banners condemning the AfD.
The protests also came as the AfD launched its election campaign in the central city of Halle, where about 4,500 AfD supporters gathered at a venue where party leader Alice Weidel, who is also the AfD candidate for chancellor, addressed the crowd. Did.
Migration at center of election debate ahead of snap election on February 23
Weidel began his address on a topic that has moved to the forefront of the election campaign in Germany especially this week: migration.
Earlier this week two people, including a two-year-old boy, were killed in a knife attack in Aschaffenburg.
An Afghan man who was due to be deported was taken into custody on suspicion of carrying out the attack.
The AfD’s official manifesto calls for rapid deportations of rejected asylum seekers and those entering the country illegally and the party has been strongly criticized for a number of controversial views.
AfD in upbeat mood with second place in polls
The far-right AfD is in second place with 20%, according to the latest poll tracker, while the centre-right bloc of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU) are in first place. With about 31% in the polls.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) are currently in third place with 15%, just ahead of the Greens with 14%.
Elon Musk attends AfD campaign launch
Elon Musk, a US billionaire and adviser to President Donald Trump, again endorsed the AfD as he appeared via videolink at the campaign launch ahead of an address by the party’s leading candidate, Elise Weidel.
“I’m very excited for the AfD. I think you really are the best hope for Germany,” Musk – who has been accused of meddling in European politics – said, adding that he was “proud” to be German. “Feeling” is okay.
He said, “I think there’s obviously been too much focus on the guilt of the past and we need to move on from that. Children don’t feel guilty for the sins of their parents or even their great-grandparents. Should not happen.”
At Trump’s inauguration on Monday, Musk drew attention by reminding others to give the Hitler salute.
Weidel expressed his good wishes for the US now under a Trump administration and adopted Trump’s slogan: “Make Germany great again.”
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), has classified the AfD as a “suspected” far-right extremist organization.
Thousands of people protested against right-wing extremism
Weidel’s event also drew protests in Halle, while thousands of others took part in demonstrations against right-wing extremism in several cities.
Cologne police estimated the number of participants at “more than 20,000 people” on Saturday afternoon.
Organizers had initially registered between 5,000 and 10,000 participants.
Despite the huge crowd, a police spokesperson said everything was going smoothly.
kb/rm (dpa, AFP)