Demonstrations in Riesa: Protests against AfD – Organizers: Police operation scandalous

The organizers of the protest against the AfD party conference in Riesa criticize the police actions as unacceptable and illegal. “The police’s actions were scandalous,” said Mascha Meier, spokeswoman for the “Resist” alliance. Registered demonstrations were not allowed through to the central rally location in front of the AfD conference hall. However, the police described the operation on Saturday as successful from their point of view. On Sunday, the Saxon Interior Ministry and police initially did not want to comment on the allegations again.

Largest demonstration stopped

According to the alliance, the largest demonstration procession, which was supposed to bring participants who had arrived by train from the train station to the rally, was prevented from progressing for “hours.” Accordingly, the police used pepper spray and threatened to use a water cannon to disperse the crowd.

According to the organizers, around 15,000 people demonstrated against the AfD federal party conference in Riesa on Saturday. The police estimated the number of participants at 10,000. The party conference was only able to begin at midday, two hours late.

Left-wing state parliament member injured

The accusation of police violence against state parliament member Nam Duy Nguyen caused a stir. According to his own statements, a police officer knocked him unconscious. A companion also received blows in the face. Nguyen filed a complaint. According to the Saxon Interior Ministry and the police, an investigation has been initiated.

There will also be criminal proceedings over an incident involving a police dog that was probably used against a demonstrator. A video on Platform

The police also cleared several sit-ins on surrounding streets over the course of the day, such as at an intersection leading to the B169 entrance. According to a dpa reporter, pepper spray was also used there.

Police with a positive rating

However, the police’s assessment of the operation was positive. “We have achieved our goals: the party conference is taking place. We have thus fulfilled our obligation to protect party events regardless of their political orientation,” said Dresden police chief Lutz Rodig on Saturday. At the same time, the police made the protest possible within sight and hearing distance, thereby protecting the right to freedom of assembly.

The police are sorry that a deputy and his companion were injured during the police operation, said Rodig. The matter will be dealt with with the highest priority.

Interior Minister: “Heated situations”

Saxony’s Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) spoke of “various conflicts and heated situations” in which the police enforced order with robust action. “Individual situations in the protest today in Riesa required consistent police operations, in which the police had to use direct force on several occasions,” he said on Saturday. However, the operation against a member of the Saxon state parliament was “by no means a small matter,” emphasized Schuster.