- AfD wants to campaign more in front of schools
The AfD in Brandenburg will increase its presence near schools during the election campaign. Key points of an "AfD government program" in language suitable for students will be distributed near Brandenburg schools and vocational training institutions starting immediately, according to a statement from the AfD's state chapter. Currently, schools in Brandenburg are on holiday. Classes will resume in about three weeks, in early September.
Generally, no special permit is required to distribute flyers or magazines, a spokesperson for the Brandenburg Ministry of Education said. However, rallies, demonstrations, or information stands must be registered. Distributing materials near school grounds can be illegal "if the distributed materials are classified as harmful to young people or violate the criminal code".
If flyers are distributed directly on school grounds, the school's house rules apply, the spokesperson explained. "In this case, it is possible to deny access to the persons and remove them from the school grounds." Political advertising at schools during school hours is generally prohibited by school law.
In the spring, the far-right party "The Third Way" distributed flyers near at least one school in Brandenburg, according to the Ministry of Education. Afterwards, schools received a letter from the ministry recommending that they agree on a coordinated procedure with their colleagues to be able to react quickly.
The Third Way is considered by the Brandenburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution to represent a "clear right-wing extremist view of the state and society". The AfD state chapter is classified as a suspected right-wing extremist case by the Brandenburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
The AfD's plan to distribute their election campaign materials near schools and vocational training institutions will require registration due to the rules regarding rallies and information stands, as stated by the Brandenburg Ministry of Education. After an incident involving the far-right party "The Third Way" distributing flyers near schools, the ministry advised schools to develop a coordinated response to such situations to ensure compliance with school law.
