According to the organizers, more than 50,000 people are taking part in the large demonstration against the AfD and its federal party conference in Essen. The demonstrators gathered in front of the Grugahalle, where the party conference is taking place. The alliance “Gemeinsam Laut” called for the large demonstration.
A total of 70,000 people would demonstrate in Essen against the AfD federal party conference, the group “Widersetzen” announced – 10,000 people had already demonstrated on Friday evening, and around 7,000 early on Saturday morning. Thousands more demonstrators were expected to attend a rally in front of the Grugahalle in the afternoon.
Party conference in Essen: “AfD is not welcome here”
“At the weekend, more people demonstrated loudly against the AfD than the party has members,” explained “Gemeinsam Laut” spokeswoman Linda Kastrup. “The AfD is clearly not welcome here. Together we stand for a cosmopolitan and democratic society.”
The AfD party conference began half an hour late at 10:30 a.m. At around 11:30 a.m., 555 of 600 delegates were in the hall, according to a count by the party on site.
“What is happening in front of this hall has nothing to do with the formation of political will,” said Weidel. “We have a right – like all other political parties – to hold a proper party conference.” The AfD’s state leader in North Rhine-Westphalia, Martin Vincentz, said: “We can only hold a party conference in the presence of thousands of police officers. That is a basic right that is being denied to us.”
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.
