There will be several large demonstrations against the AfD federal party conference in Essen this weekend. There will be music and a tent camp to kick things off. But it could be that it won’t stay so peaceful.
One day before the controversial AfD federal party conference, counter-demonstrators took up positions in Essen and the police assembled a strong force. North Rhine-Westphalia’s Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) told Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) that 80,000 demonstrators are expected over the course of the weekend. A ministry spokesman added that the number could be as high as 100,000.
The police are keeping a close eye on around 1,000 left-wing extremists from all over Germany and abroad who are expected in Essen. There have been announcements from the scene that they will use violent actions to prevent the party conference if possible. The police have already made a clear presence in central locations in the city.
The larger protests began in the evening with a rave demo. According to the organizer, between 4,000 and 5,000 people protested against the AfD in Essen under the motto “Bass against Hate”. At the rave demo, which moved south from Essen’s main station to the exhibition center, well-known DJs played and drove to the Grugahalle on music trucks. At around 10 p.m., the police said the evening had been peaceful. A spokeswoman estimated the number of participants at around 5,000.
The security measures have already partially paralyzed the popular shopping and entertainment district of Rüttenscheid. Residents could only get to their homes on foot and after an ID check. Drivers had to avoid the Grugahalle. Bus and tram services were suspended on several lines. A police helicopter circled over the city. A popular park with an outdoor pool was also no longer open for security reasons. Boards were screwed over the shop windows of some shops for fear of riots.
Up to 4,000 activists camp at the “Camp against Racism”
A few kilometers outside the city, in an open space on the Ruhr, a tent camp for up to 4,000 activists filled up. The “Camp Against Racism” was originally planned to be held at a more central location, but was banned there by the police due to security concerns – much to the annoyance of the organizers.
The actions are the start of a whole series of rallies, demonstrations and meetings that will accompany the two-day AfD federal party conference on Saturday and Sunday in Essen’s Grugahalle. The climax is expected on Saturday. According to police estimates, at least 45,000 demonstrators could come together at a central meeting organized by the city alone.
The police are deployed with several thousand officers. There is potential for conflict, especially if left-wing activists make good on their announcement and try to block the arrival of around 600 delegates to the party conference. An initiative has already announced sit-ins at the Grugahalle for early Saturday morning. The police expressly warned the demonstrators against such actions. “Blockades aimed at disrupting or preventing the AfD federal party conference are a criminal offense,” the police stressed.
Reul: Protection of the party conference “must be very robustly guaranteed”
State Interior Minister Reul asked for understanding for the police operation. “Equal opportunities for all political parties is an essential element of our free and democratic basic order.” Therefore, the police will ensure that the party conference runs smoothly and “guarantee this very robustly” if necessary.
The AfD wants to elect a new executive board at the party conference on Saturday and Sunday, among other things. The city of Essen had spent months looking for ways to prevent the AfD party conference – but ultimately failed in court.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
