Political Gatherings - Conflict over AfD event conference: Will the venue remain canceled?
In late June, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party will select a new leadership board, consisting of 600 delegates, in Essen's Grugahalle. Sadly, the city's exhibition hall has discontinued its rental agreement with the AfD. The party, however, has filed lawsuits at both the state and administrative courts to contest this termination.
Simultaneously, tens of thousands of the party's opponents have begun planning protests. The Essen Regional Court will hear one of these cases on Monday. Will the termination of the Grugahalle agreement be upheld legally, and what might occur if the conference continues as scheduled?
What rationale underpinned the cancellation of the contract?
The AfD's rental contract with the Grugahalle dates back almost one and a half years. The city views the party as having significantly radicalized since it signed the agreement. The city cites the fine imposed on the AfD's Thuringia faction leader Björn Höcke for uttering the forbidden SA slogan "Alles für Deutschland."
Unable to prevent such utterances at the conference, the city council demanded the AfD to sign a self-commitment. The party refused, leading to the contract's cancellation.
What counterarguments is the AfD using in the Land Court?
The AfD views the contract termination as unjustified and insists on its enforcement. The focus of the forthcoming oral proceedings will be a particular clause in the contract. According to this provision, a termination is permissible if "a situation arises that could provoke fears of an interruption of public peace or order due to the event." But does this apply here? The AfD is committed to demonstrating the opposite. They also question the clause's adequacy in being sufficiently clear to justify a termination.
What is the second lawsuit about at the Administrative Court?
The AfD party and the Essen municipality faction are submitting comprehensive motions against the city council's decision and subsequent contract termination. AfD's Vice Peter Boehringer asserts that policing potentially unlawful slogans amongst a group of several hundred delegates and guests would be impractical.
The discussion concerning the city council's ruling was discussed hastily, disregarding standard eviction notices. The aforesaid decision is, therefore, legally null and void.
How likely is an AfD triumph in court?
Both legal bodies are remaining coy regarding the party's chances. Nonetheless, the principle of equality of treatment is at play – municipal owners cannot unilaterally deny permission to a party if other parties have access to the same venue, such as the CDU's federal conference in 2016. However, there are exceptions. The AfD expects that the party conference will occur as planned. In case of a loss in either court, they would appeal to the higher instance, the party affirmed. There is "no Plan B" for a different location.
When might the verdict be announced?
Administrative court proceedings generally occur in writing, and a verdict might emerge this upcoming Friday. As for the civil lawsuit at the District Court, the panel plans to rule on it, ideally, on the same day. A 14-day window exists for challenging the judgment through the Higher Regional Court in Hamm or the Administrative Court in Münster.
What are the opposition's plans for the AfD conference?
Despite the legal tussle, a broad coalition of cities, churches, unions, businesses, and initiatives is preparing a demonstration against the AfD party conference. Thousands of protesters are anticipated. This could potentially be Essen's largest demonstration in years.
The key event and main protest site is a nearby car park adjacent to the Grugahalle where the AfD intends to hold the conference. Buses are scheduled to transport protesters from across Germany to Essen. There are also options for tents to accommodate up to 6000 anti-AfD demonstrators. Music and small art installations are among the counter-events planned.
Where might confrontation with the police occur?
Police forces will be omnipresent over the entire weekend. In the left-wing community, a call for "civil disobedience" has been issued. Activists aim to hinder AfD conference attendees from even arriving at the conference, using blockades. The police are prepared for such forms of unrest.
The police aim to achieve a balance between maintaining the party conference and the authorised anti-AfD protests, an official spokesperson asserted. With the European Football Championship's Achtelfinal matches scheduled simultaneously in Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, and Cologne, this is a considerable undertaking for officers in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Read also:
- The AfD party conference is scheduled to take place in Thuringia, specifically in Essen's Grugahalle, but the event faces opposition from several parties and municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia.
- Despite the cancellation of the rental agreement by the Grugahalle, the AfD has filed lawsuits at both the state and administrative courts in an effort to contest the termination.
- The termination of the rental agreement is in response to the party's perceived radicalization and potentially provocative actions, such as the fine imposed on the AfD's Thuringia faction leader Björn Höcke.
- The affordable rental agreement with the Grugahalle dates back almost one and a half years, but the city council has become concerned about the party's actions and demanded a self-commitment from the AfD, which was later rejected.
- The AfD is arguing in court that the termination of the contract is unjustified, citing a particular clause in the contract that allows for termination if the event could provoke fears of an interruption of public peace or order.
- The Administrative Court in Münster is considering the comprehensive motions submitted by the AfD party and the Essen municipality faction, questioning the legality of the city council's decision to terminate the rental agreement.
- If the AfD loses the lawsuit, they have affirmed that they will appeal to a higher instance, with no "Plan B" for a different location for the party conference.
- Tens of thousands of demonstrators are expected to gather in protests against the AfD party conference, with a broad coalition of cities, churches, unions, businesses, and initiatives organizing counter-events, including music and small art installations.
