After knowing a secret meeting of the far rightwhere party members Alternative for Germany (AFD) they got together with neo-nazisto plan the expulsion of millions of asylum seekers and German citizens of foreign origin, tens of thousands of people demonstrated on Friday in several cities in Germany. In addition, other protests are planned during the weekend.
In the city of Hamburg, more than 30,000 people They participated against right-wing extremism and neo-Nazi networks, in the middle of winter, with snow and temperatures below zero, reported the local police. There were also rallies with slogans such as ”It’s never again now” and ”Let’s defend democracy” in other cities, according to DPA.
These protests were the result of the revelations of the independent media Correctivwho reported on the far-right meeting in November, attended by members of the AFD and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
The details of the secret meeting
Correctiv revealed that several senior members of AFD met in Potsdamnear Berlin, with far-right figures, including Martin Sellnerlong-time head of the far-right identitarian movement in Austria, which is vehemently opposed to Muslim immigrants.
One of the topics discussed was reportedly planning widespread deportations of immigrants from Germany, and Sellner named three sets of goals: asylum seekers, foreigners with the right to stay and “unassimilated citizens”.
Furthermore, he raised the concept of the ”remigration”, which is a term that right-wing extremists often use to refer to the departure of people of foreign origin from the country, generally against their will.
Protests against the extreme right
The protests have, in many cases, the support of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the Greens, the Left Party, churches and unions, as well as cultural institutions and football clubs.
Scholz used the X platform (formerly Twitter) to thank the protesters who stood up “against racism, hate speech and in favor of our liberal democracy“.
“That gives us courage and shows that we Democrats are many, many more than those who want to divide,” wrote the SPD politician.
The marches will continue in several federated states, with the participation of regional authorities. In Hamburg, the mayor was Peter Tschentscheras well as the Prime Minister of Thuringia, Bodo Ramelowwho attended a protest in the city of Jana.
Furthermore, the presence of the Prime Minister of Lower Saxony is expected in Hanover on Saturday, Stephan Weiland on Sunday the mayor of this city-state will march in Bremen, Andreas Bovenschulte.
The former German president Christian Wulff and Yasmin Fahimiholder of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB)will also participate in the mobilization in Hannover, where the organizers expect more than 10,000 participants tomorrow.
In Karlsruhe, in southwestern Germany, a demonstration will pass in front of the headquarters of the Constitutional Court this Saturday, while in Between 10,000 and 20,000 protesters are also expected in Munich Sunday afternoon.
Other major demonstrations will take place in Kiel and Bielefeld, in Braunschweig, Dortmund, Erfurt and Heidelberg.
On Sunday there will be protests in the capital Berlin and Dresden. A demonstration was even announced for this Saturday on the island of Sylt, in the far northeast of the country. In addition, there are already planned concentrations beyond the weekend.
Finally, on February 3, a human chain was called in Berlin around the Reichstag building, seat of the German Parliament, symbolizing a barrier against the extreme right.
Source: Ambito
