Around 1,300 AfD supporters attended a rally with AfD right-winger and top candidate Björn Höcke and federal chairwoman Alice Weidel on the cathedral square in the Thuringian state capital. Up to 3,000 people then protested just 100 meters from the AfD against a shift to the right and right-wing extremism in Thuringia.
The city’s assembly authority announced this upon request. The police were deployed in large numbers. According to a spokesman, they were supported by officers from Hesse, Lower Saxony, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. There were no notable incidents during either assembly.
“That everyone will experience a nasty surprise”
Weidel told the demonstrators, who made themselves known with whistles and chants, that the AfD would “ban Antifa as a terrorist organization” if it came into government. On Sunday, the right-wing extremist and populist AfD (Alternative for Germany) could make history in Thuringia and Saxony and in a few weeks in Brandenburg if it wins the election, said Weidel. “Let’s make the East blue so that everyone can experience a blue miracle.”
AfD supporters repeatedly shouted “East, East, East Germany,” but also “deport, deport.” Höcke accused the other parties of having “lost the people.” The AfD could “make history” on Sunday.
Thousands at counter demonstration
The “Auf die Plätze” alliance was one of those calling for the counter demonstration. The demonstration, which was joined by more and more people, moved from the train station to the cathedral square. The demonstrators shouted “Nazis out” and “Höcke out”, among other things. According to the police, several participants in the alliance were masked. This violates the assembly law. Some of those affected removed their masks after speeches.
“We will not allow the AfD to dominate the election weekend with its extreme right-wing agitation, intimidate people and use our city as a stage for its propaganda,” the alliance declared. A week ago, thousands took to the streets in Erfurt to protest against right-wing extremism and a shift to the right.
The latest opinion polls in Thuringia have shown little movement in the individual parties’ ratings. The AfD was in the lead with ratings between 29 and 30 percent. The CDU, BSW and the Left followed at a distance. Around 1.66 million Thuringians are called to vote in the state elections on Sunday.
