Radicalism or fanaticism - A multitude of individuals protested against the right-wing in Berlin.
The day prior to the European election, police said that several thousand individuals gathered to show their opposition to right-wing extremism in Berlin. The peaceful afternoon protest began with a surge of attendees, as described by a police spokesperson. Signs bearing messages like "Hearts over hate," "Human rights not right-wing," and "Diversity without an alternative," were carried by the demonstrators. Around ten thousand people had registered for the event.
The coalition of civil society groups organized protests in multiple German cities - such as Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, and Dresden - under the banner "Stop right-wing extremism. Defend democracy."
The Saturday event in Berlin welcomed Matthias Ecke as a keynote speaker. Ecke is the Saxon SPD candidate for the European elections, who had been attacked while hanging up campaign posters in Dresden in early May.
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The police anticipated more demonstrations against right-wing extremism in other European cities, such as Hamburg and Munich, leading up to the European elections. Despite the tensions, European elections in Germany were marked by high turnout and strong condemnation of extremist groups. The police in Berlin expressed concern about potential incidents of violence during the elections owing to the escalating extremist sentiments. In response, various European countries increased security measures to ensure the safety of voters and candidates.
