Before a left-wing autonomous solidarity day for the convicted student Lina E., hooded people attacked police officers in Leipzig. After an initially peaceful meeting at Wiedebachplatz in the Connewitz district, stones and pyrotechnics suddenly flew out of a crowd of several hundred masked people at officials, as a reporter from the German Press Agency observed. Barricades made of rubbish bins and construction site barriers burned both there and in side streets. The police used tear gas and said they were “objects thrown at” from the roofs of houses.
In social networks there had been a call from the left-wing scene for “mass corners”, i.e. for larger gatherings to show solidarity with the student Lina E. despite the ban on the so-called Day X demo on Saturday. The “Day X” was a reaction to the verdict against the 28-year-old and three co-defendants for attacks on alleged or actual neo-Nazis.
In anticipation of impending riots, the police prepared a large-scale operation. Leipzig’s Lord Mayor Burkhard Jung (SPD) was concerned about security in the trade fair city in view of numerous calls for violence on social media. Most of the burning barricades were extinguished shortly after midnight, partly with the help of water cannons. According to the police, “crimes continued to be committed” during the night. Accordingly, several officers were slightly injured, one had come to the hospital for treatment. A journalist was attacked by an unknown person and slightly injured. By early morning there had been three preliminary arrests for serious breaches of the peace. “Investigations into breach of the peace, dangerous bodily harm, physical assault on police officers, damage to property and a violation of the Explosives Act have been initiated,” the police said.
The left-wing autonomous demonstration planned for Saturday remains prohibited
The quartet around Lina E. was sentenced to several years in prison by the Dresden Higher Regional Court on Wednesday for assault and membership in or support of a criminal organization. Lina E., who had been in custody for two and a half years, was provisionally released after the verdict was pronounced – the court cited a rheumatic disease in the 28-year-old and a previous conviction as a result of media reporting as justification.
A left-wing autonomous demonstration planned for Saturday also remains prohibited. The administrative court in Leipzig rejected an urgent application against the ban by the city late Friday afternoon. A complaint was lodged with the Saxon Higher Administrative Court in Bautzen in the evening, which was ultimately also rejected.
The city of Leipzig had the “Day X” demo with the motto “United we stand – despite everything, defend autonomous anti-fascism!” forbidden because an unpeaceful course was to be feared. The basis for this were risk forecasts by the police and situation assessments by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. In left circles had been mobilized nationwide. Police said there were also threats of violence and calls for militancy.
The administrative court stated that there was a high probability that the meeting would not go peacefully. In this respect, the city’s risk forecast proved to be correct. In particular, it should be noted that the mobilization on the Internet, including the call for demonstrations, was also aimed at an autonomous left-wing extremist scene prepared to use violence. Even though calls for violence have now been distanced and a peaceful demonstration has recently been called for, there is still a fear that acts of violence will be committed from the registered assembly.