Demonstrations against right-wing extremism took place again in many cities in Germany. On Thursday, a total of more than 25,000 people took to the streets. Rallies are also planned for the weekend.
According to the dpa news agency, more than 25,000 people took to the streets in demonstrations against right-wing extremism on Thursday evening. According to police reports, at least 12,000 participants came together in Wiesbaden. In North Rhine-Westphalia there were at least three rallies with a total of 15,000 demonstrators – 5,000 each in Hagen, Siegen and Mönchengladbach.
In Siegen the rally was held under the motto “Never again is now!” against a parallel New Year’s reception of the AfD district association. In Rostock in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, according to preliminary police estimates, 6,500 people gathered in the city center to demonstrate against the right. The organizers spoke of 9,500 participants, compared to 3,000 who had previously registered.
Nationwide Demonstrations against Right-wing extremism
According to police reports, more than 900,000 people demonstrated against right-wing extremism and for the protection of democracy across Germany last weekend. Rallies are planned again all over the country next weekend.
The protests were triggered, among other things, by revelations by the Correctiv research center about a meeting of radical right-wingers on November 25th in Potsdam, in which some AfD politicians as well as individual members of the CDU and the ultra-conservative Values Union took part.
The former head of the right-wing extremist Identitarian Movement in Austria, Martin Sellner, said he spoke about “remigration” at the meeting. When right-wing extremists use the term, they usually mean that large numbers of people of foreign origin should leave the country – even under duress.