By Sylvia Jost
Imagine you want to go to the AfD demo in Berlin – and end up somewhere at a motorway service station….
The AfD announced a “hot autumn” and an energy demo in Berlin for Saturday under the slogan “Our country first”. Numerous protest actions formed. Including a very special…
As the activists of the “Centre for Political Beauty” announced on Saturday afternoon, they led AfD demonstrators by the nose – and in a completely different direction…
“For this purpose we founded the ‘Travel Service Hahn’ to turn the ‘hot’ autumn into a lukewarm one,” the activists wrote on Facebook. Because: “Some buses should not go to the Reich capital or not at all – unfortunately the demonstration will not be quite as big.”
It also said: “A bus is driving a load of idiots from Hanover in the direction of Mainz. One of our extremist customers: ‘Is this the right route?’ – Our driver: ‘Yes!’ Thank God they still believe in authority.”
In the afternoon, the “loaded” AfDler should reach Mainz. “By the way, without a return trip,” said the activists on Facebook. But the wrong direction was noticed at some point: “Unfortunately, a first bus had to stop at a motorway service station and let the customers go. They had asked for her release. How 42 people get away ‘in the middle of nowhere’ – we are happy to leave that up to them.”
There was no statement from the AfD or the police at noon.
Counteractions also in Berlin
According to current police estimates, around 8,000 people took part in the AfD rally, significantly more than the 4,000 originally registered. Participants waved German and AfD flags as well as Reich and Russian flags.
Against the AfD rally, which called for a different course in energy policy, numerous assemblies formed within hearing and sight, which were supported by other parties, trade unions, churches and civil society groups.
According to the police, the counter-demonstrations were smaller than expected. In total, there were almost 1,500 people, according to the police spokeswoman. The organizers had registered 2,500 people for the largest counter-demonstration of the “Stand up against racism” initiative and the alliance for a cosmopolitan and tolerant Berlin.
At the counter-rallies under titles such as “Our alternative is solidarity”, the demonstrators warned against populism and nationalism in front of and next to the Chancellery, near the memorial to the Sinti and Roma murdered under National Socialism and at the Paul Löbe House, which belongs to the Bundestag and right-wing extremism.
Because of the demonstrations, the Berlin government district was largely closed on Saturday. According to a spokeswoman, a total of 1,900 police officers were deployed. 400 police officers came to support from other federal states.
TV team attacked
► During the protest there was an attack on a film crew. A police spokeswoman said there had been a scuffle with demonstrators. “A mobile phone is said to have been damaged.” The film team did not report it, but wanted to continue their work.
► There was also a scuffle in the area of the Federal Chancellery. On the one hand, there was a counter-demonstration there, and at the same time, many participants passed by on their way to the AfD event.
► There were several blockade attempts on Friedrichstrasse to stop the AfD demo. “The people were removed from the road again so that the demonstrators could continue walking,” said the police spokeswoman.
► There was a charge of theft after a counter-demonstrator tried to rip a banner from a participant in the AfD demo.
Nevertheless, the police spoke of a largely peaceful process and hardly any incidents.