Reul expects 80,000 demonstrators at the AfD party conference

Food - Reul expects 80,000 demonstrators at the AfD party conference

North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) expects around 80,000 counter-demonstrators at the AfD federal party conference in Essen this weekend. Among the demonstrators, there are likely to be violent agitators from the left-extremist scene, Reul told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND). "We currently assume several hundred of them." These individuals have reportedly conducted nationwide action trainings, during which blockade actions were practiced, for example. Reul appealed to all peaceful demonstrators to clearly distance themselves from possible violent actions.

For the police, the deployment is a challenge because on Saturday - the day of the largest protests - the German football national team is playing in the EM quarterfinals in Dortmund.

The AfD will elect a new board at the party conference on Saturday and Sunday. Numerous organizations have announced resistance against the meeting - throughout the entire weekend, there will be rallies, demonstrations, and assemblies.

Police ticker on deployment

1. During the AfD party conference in North Rhine-Westphalia this weekend, Minister Herbert Reul from the CDU expressed concerns about potential violent agitators from the left-extremist scene.
2. Reul estimated that several hundred of these individuals have undergone nationwide action trainings, practicing blockade actions among other things.
3. The AfD federal party conference in Essen will see around 80,000 counter-demonstrators, and Reul urged peaceful demonstrators to distance themselves from any violent actions.
4. Despite the large-scale operations required, the German police are also dealing with the fact that on Saturday, the day of the largest protests, the national football team is playing in the EM quarterfinals in Dortmund.
5. The AfD will hold their elections for a new board during the party conference on Saturday and Sunday, and numerous organizations have announced their resistance against the meeting throughout the entire weekend.
6. The Editorial Network Germany reported on these preparations and the police response, highlighting the challenges that the weekend in Germany would present.

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