AfD party conference: Police officer beats left-wing politician unconscious, according to the party

According to his party, the Saxon left-wing politician Nam Duy Nguyen was beaten unconscious by a police officer during the protests against the AfD party conference in Riesa. A companion was also hit in the face and injured, the party leadership in Berlin said. “We will file criminal charges against the responsible officials,” said party leader Jan van Aken. A spokesman for the police in Dresden said that they had heard about the incident and were investigating it: “We are investigating the case.”

Van Aken further said: “Both of them clearly pointed out their role as parliamentary observers with MP ID cards and high-visibility vests and behaved in a de-escalating manner. Nevertheless, they were hit in the face by police officers.”

According to the statement, co-chairwoman Ines Schwerdtner said: “We call on all parties in Saxony and nationwide to condemn this attack without any ifs or buts.” Police violence undermines the trust of citizens and should fundamentally not be tolerated.

The 29-year-old Nam Duy Nguyen won one of the two direct mandates for his party in Leipzig in the state elections in Saxony on September 1, 2024, thus securing the left’s entry into the state parliament.

Around 10,000 people demonstrated against the AfD federal party conference in Riesa on Saturday. The mood was heated at times, with demonstrators and police confronting each other in many places. According to police, six officers were slightly injured.