As of: February 26, 2024 6:38 a.m
Tens of thousands demonstrated against right-wing extremism in Hamburg on Sunday. The climate movement “Fridays For Future” (FFF) and around 40 other associations and organizations called for the rally.
The participants gathered at lunchtime on Edmund-Siemers-Allee at Dammtor train station. 30,000 people were registered for the demonstration under the motto “We are the firewall – together against right-wing extremism”. In the afternoon, FFF spokeswoman Annika Rittmann said in an interview with NDR that more than 50,000 demonstrators had come. A police spokesman confirmed this estimate on Sunday evening. There were 50,000 to 60,000 people at the demonstration. The demonstrators held, among other things, posters with slogans such as “Solidarity is our motto”, “Germany remains colorful” and “I am against right-wing extremism”.
Broad alliance on the street
Trade unions, the Jusos, the Green Youth, the Grandmas Against the Right, the ADFC bicycle association and numerous other associations and organizations took part in the rally. The protest was also directed against the AfD, Rittmann explained: “The AfD’s plans are inhumane and they undermine democracy. The demonstration is what scares the AfD most and that’s why we have to continue to take to the streets .”
More demos planned for the European elections
There will be large demonstrations throughout Germany and Europe for the European elections. The aim is to ensure that there are fewer fascists in our parliaments, Rittman continued. In the call for the demonstration, the party was accused of dividing society and threatening coexistence. That is why the majority is called upon to stand up for democracy.
Speakers target AfD
At the beginning of the rally there were speeches – including from transformation researcher Maja Göpel. She called on those who want to vote for the AfD in protest to reconsider their stance. At the same time, the firewall against right-wing extremism needs doors “for all those who say: ‘I got lost, I’ve now recognized it’.” Like other speakers, Tanja Chawla from the German Federation of Trade Unions (DGB) also took aim at the AfD. This is racist and anti-democratic, she said. Chawla announced another large demonstration against right-wing extremism in the Hanseatic city for June 8th – the day before the European elections.
Appearance by Deichkind
“Impulsive people against the right” is written on the clothing of the band Deichkind, who performed at the demo.
The musical highlight was the performance by the band Deichkind. When the members of the electropunk formation rocked the stage with the slogan “Impulsive people against the right” on their outfit, alluding to their hit “Remmidemmi”, the sun even broke through for a moment. The crowd enthusiastically jumped along to each of the four songs. During their final song, the band sang: “We don’t want Nazis and we don’t want AfD.”
Demo moves through the city center
The demonstrators then set off to march through the city center. The route led through the Karoviertel, over the Jungfernstieg and the Lombardsbrücke back to Edmund-Siemers-Allee. The demonstration ended there in the early evening.
AUDIO: Tens of thousands take to the streets in Hamburg against right-wing extremism (1 min)
Third major demonstration against right-wing extremism
In Hamburg it was the third major demonstration against right-wing extremism within a few weeks. At previous events, significantly more people took to the streets than were registered. There were also demonstrations again in other German cities at the weekend. The protests were triggered by revelations by the research network Correctiv about a meeting of right-wing extremists in Potsdam in November. AfD politicians as well as individual members of the CDU and the Values Union also took part.
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