More than 10,000 AfD supporters move through Berlin – counter-demos smaller than expected

AfD supporters are currently demonstrating in Berlin against the government’s policies. According to the police in the afternoon (as of 5 p.m.), “more than 10,000” people followed a protest call by the party – and thus significantly more than the 4,000 originally registered.

In response to the AfD event, several counter-demonstrations ran in parallel. Police spokeswoman Ostertag named the total number of 1,400 participants in the afternoon. According to the police, the counter-demonstrations were smaller than expected.

The AfD has called for protests under the motto “Energy security and protection against inflation – our country first”. From noon there was a rally on Republic Square in front of the Reichstag building in rainy weather, at which AfD federal chairman Tino Chrupalla spoke. Among other things, German flags could be seen at the AfD rally, but also Russian ones. Imperial flags and “Reichsbürger” symbolism were also shown. Posters had slogans like “stop traffic light madness” or “yes to nuclear power”. After the rally, the participants started a march through Berlin-Mitte. It was planned to return to the starting point for a final rally.

Hundreds of people gathered in the immediate vicinity of the AfD demonstration with flags bearing slogans such as “No place for Nazis”.

Organizations, alliances and initiatives had registered eleven counter-demonstrations as part of the AfD call. They accused the AfD of exploiting the rising costs of food and energy. Based on the registrations, the police initially expected a number of participants in the “mid four-digit range”. Around 5 p.m. spokeswoman Ostertag then named the number of 1,400 participants.

For the largest counter-demonstration under the motto “Solidarity is our answer to the crisis!” had called for the initiative “Stand up against racism” and the alliance for a cosmopolitan and tolerant Berlin, which includes numerous organizations from the state sports association to the Central Council of Muslims in Germany. 3,000 people were expected.

1,900 police forces were deployed, including around 400 officers from other federal states. According to police spokeswoman Ostertag, it was mostly quiet until the afternoon. In Friedrichstrasse, i.e. on the AfD route, a smaller blockade was broken up by counter-demonstrators. At the beginning of the AfD march there was a “scramble” between participants and counter-demonstrators. Details and figures on measures restricting freedom should be announced later.

The police are also aware of an incident involving a camera team, Ostertag said. Jörg Reichel from the Deutsche Journalist:innen Union (DJU) had tweeted that there had been a “physical attack”, “shocked and pushed”. “A mobile phone is said to have been damaged,” Ostertag told the DPA. However, the film team did not report it, but wanted to continue their work.

It is unclear whether and to what extent problems with the train on Saturday morning affect or have affected the number of participants. It’s difficult to say, police said. A spokesman for the AfD said it can be assumed that there will be an impact. The Bundestag member Gunnar Lindemann suspected on Twitter that disruptions in train traffic were directly related to the AfD demonstration. “Just then” the railways will stop the train service to Berlin on a large scale, according to Lindemann.

Almost all train traffic in Lower Saxony, Bremen, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein had been stopped on Saturday morning. The train assumes sabotage.

Berliners have to be prepared for numerous road closures and diversions well into the evening; Stopping bans apply in many places on the demonstration routes. The police advise motorists to avoid the city center during this period if possible.

Buses and trams will also only run to a limited extent along the demo routes. The BVG informed on Saturday about the restrictions on their website [unternehmen.bvg.de].

Broadcast: rbb24 Inforadio, October 8th, 2022, 12 p.m