The so-called Day X of the radical left scene in Leipzig is now a case for Karlsruhe. The court confirmed receipt of an urgent application, which is now being examined. There have already been riots, injuries and arrests.
There have already been riots before today’s “Day X” in Leipzig, which was proclaimed by the radical left-wing scene. And the police in Leipzig are assuming further operations in the city – even if the ban on the planned demonstration should remain in place. Complaints against this have so far been unsuccessful, and the Federal Constitutional Court is now examining an urgent application.
The urgent application with a constitutional complaint was received in the morning, said a spokesman for the court. When exactly a decision will be made, he cannot say. The application will be processed as soon as possible, the spokesman continued.
In left-wing circles nationwide, the solidarity demonstration was mobilized at 5 p.m. today. The reason for this is the verdict against the student Lina E. and three co-defendants for attacks on right-wing extremists. The 28-year-old was sentenced to five years and three months in prison by the Dresden Higher Regional Court on Wednesday for left-wing violence.
Previous complaints have been unsuccessful
The city had the demo under the motto “United we stand – Despite everything, defend autonomous anti-fascism!” forbidden. The reason was threats of violence in social networks, the risk forecast by the police and assessments by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
Complaints against this before the Administrative Court and the Higher Administrative Court in Saxony were unsuccessful. According to a statement from the Higher Administrative Court, the ban is a serious encroachment on the fundamental right to freedom of assembly. However, it is permissible to protect equivalent legal interests. The city had plausibly predicted “an expected violent course of the meeting and thus an immediate danger to public safety”. It is very likely that participants planned violence against people or things or at least approved of such behavior by others.
2500 police officers on duty
A so-called control area has been in effect in Leipzig since Friday 6 p.m., which includes large parts of the city in the east, south and west. There, the police can stop people and check their personal details for no particular reason. Arrival traffic on the streets and at the main station is also controlled. After MDR-Information should be 2500 civil servants in the city. The police tweeted that several helicopters would also be in action over the city today.
The first riots broke out in the city on Friday evening. Masked men had attacked police officers. After the initially peaceful course of a meeting on Wiedebachplatz in the Connewitz district, stones and pyrotechnics flew out of a crowd of up to 700 hooded people. Barricades made of rubbish bins and construction site barriers burned both there and in side streets.
Several injured after riots
The police used tear gas and said they were “objects thrown at” from the roofs of houses. Most of the burning barricades were extinguished shortly after midnight, some with the help of water cannons. According to initial findings, 23 officers were injured. One of them required hospital treatment. According to the police, a journalist was attacked by an unknown person and slightly injured.
On the night of Saturday, barricades burned in Leipzig. Several people were injured.
17 police vehicles were damaged and eight vehicles were set on fire. Among them were also cars from residents, it said. By early morning there had been four preliminary arrests – among other things for serious breaches of the peace.
In addition to “Day X”, there are a number of other major events in Leipzig this weekend. It’s a city festival, singer Herbert Grönemeyer is giving a concert in front of tens of thousands of visitors and on Saturday the football clubs Lok Leipzig and Chemnitzer FC are playing for the Saxony Cup. A cancellation of the game was considered, but ultimately rejected.