- Initial curiosity surrounding the protest in Erfurt starts to surge.
Gathering for a significant protest against far-right extremism in Erfurt initially attracted a modest group of protesters. The police estimated around 500 attendees at the opening rally on the Anger. The march then continued towards the state parliament, where the organizers anticipated more participants. They planned to start tallying the numbers there, initially aiming for 10,000 individuals.
The organizers describe this demonstration as a strong statement against a growing trend towards the right in Germany and a potential triumph of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the upcoming state elections. Among those who advocated for it are the alliance "Seize the Seats", the German Labor Federation, and a cultural association.
The rally commenced with a moment of silence in remembrance of the suspected Islamist-inspired attack in Solingen. Subsequently, climate activist Luisa Neubauer inspired the protesters to continue the struggle for democracy and against the extreme right. "It's not just about the state election on September 1st," she declared. "There's much more at stake here."
Franz Zobel of ezra, Thuringia's counseling service for victims of right-wing, racist, and anti-Semitic violence, issued a caution. "Right-wing violence escalates where right-wing perpetrators enjoy societal support," he warned. After the election win of AfD member Robert Sesselmann in the Landratswahl in Sonneberg, the number of right-wing extremist incidents there has significantly risen.
The organizers firmly denounced the rise of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a worrying manifestation of right-wing extremism in Germany. Despite concerns raised by Franz Zobel about the escalation of right-wing violence in areas with societal support for extremist views, the protest against far-right extremism in Erfurt continued to gain momentum.
