Cancelled Show or Event Appearance - Protests in Jena. Reports suggest that Björn Höcke's vehicle collided with an opposition demonstration.
During a demonstration opposed to the presence of Thuringia's AfD leader Bjoern Hoecke, there was an occurrence. Several people allegedly reported to Der Spiegel that a vehicle, possibly carrying Hoecke, intentionally drove into a sanctioned protest to break through it. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Demonstration against Bjoern Hoecke in Jena: Car charges into crowd
Hoecke was set to appear as a panelist on Tuesday for a citizen's dialogue, alongside two AfD candidates for Jena's elections. Prior to the event, hundreds of protesters gathered, with several protests and individual sit-ins registered near the LISA neighborhood center in Lobeda district to hinder Hoecke's entry. Initially, the police dispersed the blockades without force.
Despite expecting 1,000 protesters, nearly twice as many showed up to denounce the right-wing extremist AfD leader. The incident allegedly took place as security forces attempted to escort Hoecke into the neighborhood center through a side entrance.
The Juso chairman, Philipp Tuermer, who witnessed the alleged incident, told Der Spiegel: "I was on the grounds of the registered demonstration when the car, with Hoecke inside, suddenly sped out of a side street straight towards the crowd. Protesters had to quickly move out of the way, some were even touched by the SUV. The car plowed into the demonstration!"
Jena Police remains silent on the incident
Multiple witnesses corroborated Tuermer's account to Der Spiegel. According to him, Hoecke's bodyguards initially tried to force their way through the crowd with violence, with some police officers allegedly aiding by pulling protesters aside. "When that didn't work, the bodyguards escorted him back to the car and drove off - action movie style," Tuermer said.
The Jena police department declined to comment on the sequence of events described by the witnesses. They claimed they were unaware of a car charging into the crowd. Hoecke's entourage reportedly saw the barricade and turned back, a police spokesperson said. However, photos and videos taken shortly after the incident showed Hoecke's car among the protesters, depicting the police's harsh treatment of the demonstrators, despite the protest being legally registered.
"The police seemed inadequate and reacted inappropriately in this situation. The security plan failed," Tuermer concluded.
Protesters halt Hoecke's appearance
Based on the police report, 12 criminal offenses and one administrative offense were recorded during the protests. The exact number and nature of injuries remain unknown. Hoecke's appearance did not occur after the protests.
"The attendance of Mr. MdL Hoecke had to be cancelled unexpectedly due to the large number of people and the chaotic situation on the scene," the police stated in a press release.
Der Spiegel attempted to reach out to Bjoern Hoecke for comments, but received no response.
Hoecke will contest as the AfD's chief candidate in the Thuringia state election on September 1. According to polls, the AfD, classified as a right-wing extremist party by the constitutional protection agency, is currently the most powerful political force in the state.
The AfD's leader Bjoern Hoecke was expected to participate in a citizen's dialogue in Jena, but protests against his appearance led to a large crowd gathering to hinder his entry. During the incident, several witnesses claimed that Hoecke's vehicle intentionally drove into the protest crowd, forcing protesters to quickly move out of the way. The Jena police department, however, denied any knowledge of such an incident.
