- Participating in demonstrations alongside the conduct of parliamentary votes
Dissent against an impending AfD triumph in Thuringia's state election saw a modest group assemble initially outside the state parliament in Erfurt. Waving banners proclaiming "No to Fascists," a small group of protesters positioned themselves near the parliament building, which was entirely secured by law enforcement. Officers from Thuringia, Hesse, and Saxony-Anhalt were all part of the operation.
Sunday sees polls for a fresh state parliament in Thuringia, with voting stations closing at 6:00 PM. As per pre-election surveys, the AfD is predicted to emerge as the most powerful party by an extensive margin, consistently securing around 30% of the vote. The Thuringian AfD has been categorized as undeniably right-wing extremist by the state's Office for the Protection of the Constitution for years.
The protest outside the state parliament was orchestrated by the "On the Spots" coalition, under the banner "Now more than ever against fascism." The rally invitation suggested that, due to the anticipated election outcome, a united civil society is necessary to counteract the rightward shift in Thuringia. As per the city administration, between 1,000 and 2,000 individuals had signed up for the event.
Over the course of the election week, there have been several protests and rallies aimed at dissuading as many people as possible from supporting the AfD. For example, a broad civil society alliance had encouraged a rally outside the state parliament a week before the election, which was attended by thousands.
The police officers from Thuringia, Hesse, and Saxony-Anhalt worked diligently to ensure the security of the state parliament during the protest against the AfD's predicted victory. Despite the large crowd at the rally, there were no reports of any disturbances, with the police maintaining a peaceful presence throughout.
