- Restriction on journalists enforced - standoff at AfD election celebration
At the election bash of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Erfurt, they booted out all journalists after a legal row. Journalists and snapshots artists from Germany swarmed around the venue where the AfD crowd was gathering for election night results, hopeful to catch reactions from their fanbase. Upon arriving, AfD leader Björn Höcke declared, "We're set to celebrate a monumental victory tonight." The call to keep accredited journalists at bay was made on a Saturday evening.
Based on forecasts, the AfD was comfortably leading in Thuringia, but forming a coalition government seemed unimaginable as all other parties had expressed their opposition ahead of time.
The AfD claimed that a court order forcing them to let certain publishers in compelled them to cancel the event in its original format, stated a party representative. The AfD argued that this ruling would necessitate admitting over 150 media reps into a venue that could barely fit 200 people, including the 150 invited guests. This would undoubtedly lead to overcrowding and threaten everyone's safety.
The Regional Court of Erfurt ruled on Saturday that the AfD must let some journalists, originally turned away, attend their Thuringia election bash. The court supported the media outlets that felt their press freedoms were at risk. The decision was still pending legal approval. The news mag "Der Spiegel," the Springer publications "Bild" and "Welt," as well as the daily "taz," collaborated to challenge the court.
Despite the court's decision, the AfD decided to host a scaled-down party, minimizing the risk of overcrowding and ensuring everybody's safety. Regardless of the restricted party, it was clear that the AfD fans were eager to celebrate their potential victory in the election.
