Thousands Expected At New Protests Against Far Right In Germany
Sumaira FH Published January 21, 2024 | 03:40 PM
Berlin, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Jan, 2024) Tens of thousands of people were expected to turn out again Sunday to protest against the far-right AfD, after it emerged that party members discussed mass deportation plans at a meeting of extremists.
Some 250,000 demonstrators already gathered in cities across the country on Saturday, according to estimate by public broadcaster ARD, with protesters carrying signs such as "Nazis out".
Demonstrations were called in around 100 locations across Germany from Friday through the weekend, including in Munich and Berlin on Sunday.
Some 25,000 people were expected at the rally against the far right in Munich, while another 10,000 were set to join a protest in Cologne, according to ARD.
Protesters are also set to gather in front of the German parliament in Berlin, and in cities in the east where the AfD has its strongholds.
The wave of mobilisation against the far-right party was sparked by a January 10 report by investigative outlet Correctiv, which revealed that AfD members had discussed the expulsion of immigrants and "non-assimilated citizens" at a meeting with extremists.
Among the participants at the talks was Martin Sellner, a leader of Austria's Identitarian Movement, which subscribes to the "great replacement" conspiracy theory that claims there is a plot by non-white migrants to replace Europe's "native" white population.
news of the gathering sent shockwaves across Germany at a time when the AfD is soaring in opinion polls, just months ahead of three major regional elections in eastern Germany where their support is strongest.
The anti-immigration party confirmed the presence of its members at the meeting, but has denied taking on the "remigration" project championed by Sellner.
But leading politicians including Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who joined a demonstration last weekend, said any plan to expel immigrants or citizens alike amounted to "an attack against our democracy, and in turn, on all of us".
He urged "all to take a stand -- for cohesion, for tolerance, for our democratic Germany".
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser went so far as to say in the newspapers of the Funke press group that the far-right meeting was reminiscent of "the horrible Wannsee conference", where the Nazis planned the extermination of European Jews in 1942.
Not only politicians, but church leaders and Bundesliga football managers have called on people to make a stand against the far right.
Protesters first gathered last weekend in Berlin and Potsdam, where the extremist meeting was held, and have gathered pace since.
On Saturday, around 35,000 people gathered in the centre of Frankfurt, responding to the call to "defend democracy" against the AfD.
"Demonstrating against racism is a must," protester Maria told AFP in Frankfurt.
"Germany has developed in such a way that racism occurs everywhere in Germany," she said.
sea/bp
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Dubai Police Marks International Workers' Day with 'Talabat' Riders
Sharjah Ruler inaugurates 15th annual Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival
Parineeti Chopra opens up about her decision to marry politician Raghav Chadha
PCB decides to set up training camp for national team ahead of England, Ireland ..
Virat Kohli's sweet birthday wish for Anushka Sharma
Interior Minister commends Pakistan Coast Guards
Pakistan women’s squad announced for England tour
Punjab CM Maryam inaugurates initiative of field hospitals
PM Shehbaz constitutes committee to investigate caretaker govt’s wheat import ..
Women T20I: Pakistan to face West Indies in fourth match tomorrow
Pak-UK 6th Regional Stabilization Conference underway at NDU, Islamabad
World Labor Day being observed today
More Stories From World
-
Football: South African Premiership results
3 hours ago -
Football: South African Premiership table
3 hours ago -
Tennis: ATP/WTA Madrid Open results - 2nd update
4 hours ago -
Thirty years on, Brazil pays tribute to late F1 hero Senna
4 hours ago -
France among Euro 'favourites' but in 'tough group', Deschamps tells AFP
4 hours ago -
Alcaraz crashes, Sinner hobbles out of Madrid
5 hours ago
-
Floods strand dozens of tourists in Kenya's Maasai Mara
5 hours ago -
Colombia to cut diplomatic ties with Israel
5 hours ago -
Rublev sends two-time defending champion Alcaraz crashing in Madrid
6 hours ago -
Police tackle US campus protests as Los Angeles hit by clashes
6 hours ago -
Thousands rally in Georgia as 'foreign influence' bill advances
6 hours ago -
UK confirms first migrants held for Rwanda deportation flights
6 hours ago