It is supposed to be the climax of a week-long mobilization: The “Hand in Hand” alliance has called for a large demonstration in front of the Reichstag building in Berlin this Saturday. The aim is to form a human chain around the Bundestag as a symbolic firewall against right-wing extremism.
In the past few weeks there have been demonstrations all over the country, with a total of more than 1.6 million people taking to the streets in around 400 rallies, from metropolises like Cologne to small towns like Spremberg in Lusatia. There will also be demonstrations all over Germany this weekend: more than 150 rallies have been registered on Saturday and Sunday.
In some places, however, a dilemma also emerged: How open should the protests be? In Munich, for example, the leader of the meeting spoke out against the participation of CSU politicians; there, speeches on the podium were directed not only against the AfD, but also against the traffic light government, which irritated many visitors. The CDU federal executive board member Serap Güler demanded Daily Mirror: “The broad alliance against right-wing extremism must not now be split by the left.”
Almost two weeks ago there was a protest against right-wing extremism in Berlin. Significantly more participants are expected this Saturday.
(Photo: Maryam Majd/Getty Images)
So what can we expect from the demonstration in Berlin? “Everyone who wants to stand against the shift to the right in society, against fascism and right-wing extremism is welcome,” says Tareq Alaows, refugee policy spokesman for Pro Asyl and co-founder of the “Hand in Hand” alliance. But it’s by no means just about the AfD. The protest is also directed against other parties: “Right-wing extremism cannot be combated by everyone moving to the right.” Democratic parties supported this border shift, for example by restricting the rights of refugees. He also sees the protest as a call for a change of course. The aim is to send a signal: “If the firewall in the parties crumbles, we will build it as a civil society.”
More than 1,300 organizations have signed the call for the major Berlin demonstration – such as Pro Asyl, Verdi, Caritas, the Evangelical Church, the BUND, the Last Generation, the German Medical Association as well as numerous local initiatives and sports clubs. Party politicians should not speak at the event. The organizers have registered a rally with 100,000 participants. The Berlin police think this is realistic.