Demonstrations in Gera - Protest by the "Compact"-Ban of the far-right scene in Gera
After the ban of the far-right magazine "Compact" by the Federal Interior Ministry, the far-right scene in the Thuringian city of Gera met up. The police reported around 320 participants in a demonstration on Saturday, which was registered and approved under the motto "We are for peace and freedom" by the East Thuringian city. There were references to the "Compact" ban during the gathering.
The police reported a "breach of the association law in connection with the ban of the 'Compact' magazine". Several proceedings for suspected crimes, including violations of the assembly law and an administrative offense, were initiated. In neighboring Saxony-Anhalt, a summer festival related to the ban of the magazine was banned.
Replacement event in Saxony-Anhalt
In social media, there are videos of the publisher of the banned monthly magazine since July, Jürgen Elsaesser, and the Austrian far-right extremist Martin Sellner in Gera. The police made no comments on this when asked. According to the police, a right-wing march with approximately 180 participants passed through the inner city of Gera.
There was a spontaneous counter-demonstration with about 75 participants under the motto "Gera is colorful, open, and diverse". In addition, according to the police, around 450 people gathered in the city on Saturday under the motto "Against fascism, world war danger, and global environmental catastrophes".
In Saxony-Anhalt, a replacement event for an originally planned summer festival of the magazine "Compact" was banned. The police enforced the ban on Saturday at the Rittergut of the former AfD state chairman Andreas Poggenburg in the Burgenlandkreis. The Administrative Court Halle confirmed the prohibition order of the responsible police inspection on Friday.
The Chamber agreed with the police's opinion that it was a replacement event for the banned "Compact" magazine, said Court President Andreas Pfersich. At the event in Gera, participants were seen wearing T-shirts with the inscription "We are Compact". It was registered by a known member of the right-wing scene.
- Despite the ban of "Compact" magazine in Germany by the Federal Interior Ministry, extremist groups in Thuringia's city of Gera continued to rally, attracting approximately 320 participants.
- In a similar turn of events, a replacement event for the banned magazine "Compact" was prohibited in Saxony-Anhalt, as the Administrative Court Halle agreed with the police's opinion that it was a substitute for the original event.
- The police in Gera reported a breach of the association law in relation to the ban of the "Compact" magazine, resulting in several proceedings for suspected crimes.
- The publisher of the banned monthly magazine, Jürgen Elsaesser, was spotted in Gera amidst controversy, in social media videos with Austrian far-right extremist Martin Sellner.
