Protesters, police clash as Germany’s far-right AfD party congress starts
Al Jazeera
Alternative for Germany came in second in European Parliament elections earlier this month.
Large protests have been taking place as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party opened its convention in the western city of Essen, with demonstrators attempting to block roads and clashing with police.
Police used pepper spray and batons on Saturday to push back protesters attempting to break through a cordon before the two-day event kicked off, a police spokesperson told the German news agency dpa.
Masked demonstrators attacked officers, according to police, who reported “several” arrests. About 1,000 police have been deployed in Essen.
“Several disruptive violent actions occurred … demonstrators, some of them hooded, attacked security forces. Several arrests were made,” police in North Rhine-Westphalia state, where Essen is located, said on X.
Up to 100,000 protesters are expected to take part in counterdemonstrations and other events in Essen, dpa reported. The authorities have raised concerns that while most could be peaceful, about 1,000 leftists would use violence to disrupt the congress.
