Protest against eviction plans
Thousands demonstrate to “defend democracy”
January 14, 2024, 5:52 p.m
The right-wing extremist secret meeting in Potsdam shocked the Brandenburg state capital. Tens of thousands are now taking a stand against the right. In Berlin and other cities, demonstrators are also rejecting extremist expulsion plans.
After a meeting of AfD politicians and other right-wing extremists, thousands of people demonstrated against the right in Berlin and Potsdam, among other places. According to Brandenburg’s State Chancellery, around 10,000 people took part in the rally in the center of Potsdam. Among them were Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. The Chancellor lives in the Brandenburg state capital and, like Baerbock, has his constituency there.
In Berlin, the police spoke of “several thousand” and the organizers of 25,000 participants in a demonstration at the Brandenburg Gate. According to the police, around 5,000 people gathered in Saarbrücken for an anti-right-wing demonstration.
The reason for the demonstrations was a secret meeting of AfD politicians, neo-Nazis and entrepreneurs that was revealed on Wednesday by the research platform Correctiv. According to the research, they met near Potsdam in November to talk about the expulsion of millions of people with an immigrant background.
Mayor Mike Schubert therefore called for a “Potsdam defends itself” rally on Friday. The SPD politician said he was “speechless and stunned by this monstrous danger to our democracy.” However, he overcame his speechlessness and began organizing the rally.
“Never again is now”
“Millions of remigration is not a secret plan, but a promise from the AfD,” emphasized Schubert. However, Potsdam takes a stand against everyone who accepts, tolerates or plans to expel millions of fellow citizens based on racist criteria. “We are defending ourselves against this.”
The Fridays for Future (FFF) movement called for the “Defend Democracy” rally at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. The Jusos and the Green Youth Berlin, among others, also supported the call. According to Fridays for Future, the aim of the demonstration was to send “a clear signal against the AfD, right-wing extremism and for the protection of our democracy”.
“We are making a promise today that we will not give in,” said FFF spokeswoman Luisa Neubauer. At both rallies, participants carried numerous posters with slogans such as “Never again is now” and “AfD ban now”.