Demos against the AfD: Resistance is stirring all over Germany

dpa/taz | Under the motto "Not a step back! Against the AfD and right-wing agitation!" According to consistent information from the police and organizers, around 20,000 people marched through Düsseldorf city center. The originally registered number of participants was doubled. Several political initiatives had called for the protest rally to send a common signal for an open, democratic society.

The banners read, for example: “No place for rat catchers” or “Now we can find out what we would have done instead of our grandparents!” The “Grandmas Against the Right” were among the participants who, according to the police, were traveling peacefully and without counter-demonstrations. On their poster they postulated with attached rags and needles: “Only the right hand is knitted.” In beautiful weather, numerous families with children joined the protest procession.

In the state elections on September 6th, the AfD received by far the most votes in Saxony-Anhalt with almost 44 percent, but fell short of an absolute majority.

Once again, thousands of people took to the streets in Hamburg against right-wing extremism. According to the organizers, around 25,000 demonstrators marched through the city center under the motto “Time for action – freedom must be defended” to protest against right-wing extremism and the normalization of right-wing extremist parties. When asked, the police were initially unable to provide any information about the number of participants.

Speakers included the chairwoman of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), Bishop Kirsten Fehrs, Hamburg's DGB boss Tanja Chawla and the deputy Schura chairwoman Özlem Nas. Also on stage: the singer Axel Bosse. He played live with the Hamburg pub choir at Jungfernstieg in downtown Hamburg.

The organizers and partners were the “Together Against Right Hamburg” alliance, the “Prüf” initiative, the climate movement Fridays for Future Hamburg and numerous other organizations. The AfD's election result in Saxony-Anhalt with almost 44 percent was no surprise, it was said in the demonstration call. However, the international reactions showed what role this election played in the context of the growing right-wing around the world.

The nationwide initiative “Prüf” led by the satirist and former EU MP Nico Semsrott has been calling for a demonstration every second Saturday of the month at 2 p.m. for months. Their goal: “All parties that are classified by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as suspected right-wing extremist cases or confirmed right-wing extremist should be examined by the Federal Constitutional Court.” “Prüf” stands for “Testing saves freedom”.

A large demonstration for social cohesion took place in downtown Berlin. Trains started at the RAW site, Savigny-Platz and the forecourt of the Landsberger Allee S-Bahn station. Demonstrators also made their way from Pariser Platz, Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Frankfurter Tor and the Großer Stern to the Red City Hall, where the final rally took place around 4 p.m.

Behind the event under the motto “Time for something to happen” is an alliance of almost 100 organizations, initiatives and unions that are demonstrating for social cohesion. The organizations include the climate protection movement Fridays for Future, “Grandmas Against the Right”, the Verdi trade union and the ADFC Berlin. The organizers counted 32,000 participants. The police spoke of 18,000 people.

The organizers said the demonstrations should cover the entire spectrum of those involved, from climate protection to social justice and mobility transition to anti-racism, queer feminism and the protection of democracy.

Participants' posters read, for example, "Hand in hand for global justice", "Cycling must not be an extreme sport" and "Protect democracy - ban the AfD".