Tens of thousands demonstrate in Essen against AfD party conference
For the protests, the alliances "Together Loud" and "Resist" had joined forces. They spoke to journalists about 70,000 demonstrators on Friday and Saturday. "These were the largest protests Essen has ever seen," said a spokeswoman for "Together Loud" on Sunday. "People from the Left to the CDU were on the streets."
The police reported in a preliminary balance that on Friday and Saturday, groups of several hundred people repeatedly tried to prevent delegates from participating in the party convention or break through barricades. Officers had to use batons and pepper spray.
When police escorted a politician to the event location, they were attacked by about 200 people. Nine policewomen and policemen were injured by blows and kicks. Two policemen were repeatedly hit in the head, and a police officer was also kicked while he was already on the ground. A suspect is now being sought with a photo.
According to the protest alliance, demonstrators had their hair pulled, and pepper spray was sprayed in their faces. Exact numbers are not available. All injuries caused by "this AfD party convention requiring these numerous protests" are too many, said a spokeswoman. "We stand for a peaceful society." According to the alliance, about ten demonstrators were still in custody on Sunday.
Several politicians condemned the attack on policemen. "The large turnout at the demonstrations shows that many citizens and residents clearly reject the Nazis around Bjoern Hoecke," said Dirk Wiese, SPD parliamentary group vice president in the Bundestag, on Sunday in the Funke Media Group newspapers. However, violence should never be a means of dispute, it is "absolutely unacceptable."
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) wrote on X: "Everyone can discuss so passionately about the issue as they want - but violence should never be the means of choice." She called peaceful protests on the fringes of the party convention a "strong sign for our democracy."
NRW Minister President Hendrik Wuest (CDU) also wrote on X: "Everyone can discuss as passionately as they want about the issue - but violence should never be the means." He called peaceful protests at the party convention a "strong sign for our democracy."
AfD leader Tino Chrupalla said at the party convention that the violence at the demonstrations had "spoiled it." Co-party leader Alice Weidel called the incidents "scandalous."
AfD delegate Stefan Hrdy admitted to the "Bild" newspaper that he had bitten someone. It was self-defense. Someone had kicked him from behind in the leg, causing him to stumble and fall, and then several people were on top of him. Before the bite, he had been kicked.
A spokeswoman for the "Resist" alliance stated that the delegate had also spat on a woman in a sit-in protest. Both the woman and the bitten person were considering filing a report.
A vigil on Sunday morning was reportedly peaceful according to a police spokeswoman. For the late Sunday afternoon, another protest event was reportedly announced.
Tens of thousands of protesters, including people from the Left to the CDU, participated in the largest protests Essen has ever seen, as reported by "Together Loud" at the AfD party conference on Sunday. The police had to intervene multiple times on Friday and Saturday, with several officers being injured, while the AfD leader, Tino Chrupalla, criticized the violence at the demonstrations. Meanwhile, the CDU's NRW Minister President Hendrik Wuest and the SPD's Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser both condemned the use of violence as unacceptable, while praising peaceful protests as a sign for democracy. Additionally, a vigil on Sunday morning was reported as peaceful, with another protest event announced for late Sunday afternoon.
