German Chancellor Scholz Joins 1.4 Million Protesters Against Far-Right Extremists

Throughout Germany, from Friday to Sunday, massive protests took place against right-wing extremism and the far-right party "Alternative for Germany" (AfD). According to organizers' estimates, over 1.4 million people participated, taking to the streets in major cities across the country, as reported by DW.

It is reported that protests occurred in approximately 100 cities. On Sunday, large marches took place in Cologne, Munich, and Berlin. According to the police, around 100,000 people gathered near the Bundestag in the capital. In Munich, law enforcement reported 80,000 participants in the protest, while organizers claimed 200,000. The Munich march was even cancelled due to the large number of people, and for safety reasons, organizers asked attendees to disperse.

In Cologne, the police estimated the number of demonstrators at around 10,000 individuals. Additionally, a massive rally in Frankfurt saw 35,000 people participating in the "Defend Democracy" event. Protesters filled two squares in the city centre, as well as the streets between them. The police stated that the event was peaceful.

On Friday, a massive rally in Hamburg had to be halted earlier than planned due to an unexpectedly large turnout. The police reported the largest event of its kind in the city, with 50,000 participants, while organizers cited 80,000, noting that the event was concluded before all interested individuals could join.

The police also reported 12,000 demonstrators in Kassel, 7,000 in Dortmund and Wuppertal, 20,000 in Karlsruhe, at least 10,000 in Nuremberg, around 16,000 in Halle, 5,000 in Koblenz, and several thousand in Erfurt.

This wave of protests is primarily directed against the far-right party "Alternative for Germany" (AfD) and was triggered by a report published on January 10 by the Correctiv publication. According to the report, AfD members met with representatives of various extremist movements in November to discuss the deportation of immigrants and "non-assimilated citizens."

This information shocked and angered German society. AfD confirmed the presence of its members at the meeting but insisted that their proposals regarding "remigration" did not involve naturalized citizens. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz joined the protest, emphasizing that any plan to deport immigrants poses a threat to democracy in Germany.