Offenbach (dpa / lhe) – Hundreds of people protested in Offenbach against an appearance by the Thuringian AfD state chief Björn Höcke. An alliance of trade unions, political parties and other organizations called for the demonstration on Thursday under the motto “Colorful instead of brown”. The rally remained largely peaceful, but there were individual scuffles with police officers when demonstrators tried to overcome barriers and advance to the AfD rally. The police pushed them back. A spokesman reported seven temporary arrests.
The police estimated the number of counter-demonstrators at 500 and the number of participants in the AfD rally at around 50. Höcke, who is considered the far right of his party, spoke at an AfD event in the local election campaign. He criticized the corona policy of the federal and state governments and called for its immediate termination. Risk groups must be protected, as in every flu wave, but there is no reason for any further regulations. Höcke is the founder of the “wing”, which has formally dissolved in the meantime and which the constitution protection authorities have classified as “proven right-wing extremist tendencies”.
The counter-demonstrators were kept away from the AfD rally with barriers and police chains, but loudly spoke up with drums, horns and chants such as “There is no right to Nazi propaganda”. “Not a foot’s breadth to fascism” was written on posters, among other things. The organizers spoke of more than 800 participants in the counter rally. Offenbach’s Mayor Felix Schwenke (SPD) also spoke there and stated that Höcke’s words were those of a fascist, which endangered peaceful coexistence among people.
When trying to break the barriers, objects were thrown at police officers, the police said. She called on the participants to stop doing this and stay peaceful.
The AfD event took place near the memorial for the victims of National Socialism in Offenbach, which had caused outrage even before the event. The Jewish community in the neighboring city of Frankfurt declared that it was “a tasteless provocation that reaches its disturbing climax with the invitation of the far-right Thuringian AfD boss Björn Höcke”.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210304-99-687379 / 6
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