More than 100,000 people turned out across Germany on Saturday in protest against the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party, which sparked an outcry after it emerged that the party’s members discussed mass deportation plans at a meeting of extremists.
In Frankfurt, about 35,000 people joined a call under the banner “Defend democracy – Frankfurt against the AfD”, marching in the financial heart of Germany. A similar number, some carrying posters like “Nazis out”, turned up in the northern city of Hanover.
Protests were also held in cities including Braunschweig, Erfurt and Kassel and many smaller towns, mirroring mobilisation every day over the past week. In all, demonstrations have been called in about 100 locations across Germany from Friday through the weekend, including in Berlin on Sunday.
Politicians, churches and Bundesliga coaches have all urged people to stand up against the AfD.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Protests were also held in cities including Braunschweig, Erfurt and Kassel and many smaller towns, mirroring mobilisation every day over the past week.
The protests began after it emerged AfD party members had attended meetings with neo-Nazis and other extremists to discuss the mass deportation of migrants, asylum seekers and German citizens of foreign origin deemed to have failed to integrate.
The anti-immigration party confirmed the presence of its members at the meeting, but has denied taking on the “remigration” project championed by Sellner.
Leading politicians including Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who joined a demonstration last weekend, said any plan to expel immigrants or citizens alike amounted to “an attack against our democracy, and in turn, on all of us”.
Friedrich Merz, the leader of the opposition conservative CDU party, wrote online that it was “very encouraging that thousands of people are demonstrating peacefully against rightwing extremism”.
Formed in 2013 as an anti-establishment, anti-euro force by academics and economists, the AfD has quickly morphed into an anti-immigrant party, ditching its original founders.
The original article contains 532 words, the summary contains 171 words. Saved 68%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
It is woth mentioning that Friedrich Merz made up accusations against refugees recieving free dental work in the past. He said: “Die sitzen beim Arzt und lassen sich die Zähne neu machen, und die deutschen Bürger nebendran kriegen keine Termine.” which translates to: “These [refugees] are sitting at the doctor and get their teeth done, and the German citizen does not get an appointment” This is grade-A-populism.
Also, the CDU, the party Friedrich Merz is a member of, refused to participate in the protests against the raise of the Nazis with the reasoning, that the left party (die Linke) is participating as well, and that the CDU wouldn’t support anything the left party stands for.
It it safe to say, that our democracy is theratened by the CDU as well. Also, because members of the CDU took part in a meeting which discussed the mass deportation of foreign people. The CDU party is quite hesitant to distance themselves from it. This meeting sparked the ongoing protests, where - as of today over 300,000 people participated in.
Edit: spelling