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Over the weekend, Germany witnessed an unprecedented wave of protests with approximately 300,000 people taking to the streets nationwide. As Euronews reports, in Munich, a demonstration against the far-right was cut short as safety concerns arose when a staggering 100,000 individuals gathered, including members of the controversial Alternative for Germany party (AfD).
These protests, echoing in cities like Cologne, Berlin, and Hamburg, were sparked by revelations of a recent far-right meeting discussing mass deportations of millions, even those with German citizenship.
The meeting's attendees included figures from the extremist Identitarian Movement and the AfD.
‘Should Germany ban AfD? What impact could this have?’ — a new @euronews story featuring comments from our director Lorenzo Vidino https://t.co/3CixJEsXpH
— Program On Extremism (@gwupoe) June 15, 2023
What makes these demonstrations noteworthy is not just their scale in major cities but also the widespread participation in smaller cities across the country. The surge in opposition indicates a growing resistance against the AfD, currently polling at around 23%, a significant rise from its 2021 federal election performance.
The catalyst for this outcry was a report from Correctiv, shedding light on the far-right meeting in November. Martin Sellner, a prominent member of the Identitarian Movement, presented a vision for "remigration" through deportations.
Prominent politicians, irrespective of party lines, have voiced support for the protests, emphasizing the defense of democracy against its adversaries.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier asserted that those protesting are safeguarding the republic and constitution against external threats.
[With information sourced from Euronews]
