Bundestagโ Debates โClashes atโฃ Giessen Anti-AfD Protest, Claims of “Extremist Takeover” Emerge
BERLIN – A contentious debate erupted in the German Bundestag today following violent โคclashes during a large-scale โฃprotest in โคGiessen against the founding of a new AfD โyouth organization last Saturday. Lawmakers sharply disagreed over โthe characterization of the events, with the AfDโ alleging aโ “day of the left-wing extremistโ takeover โขof power”โข while other parties expressed understanding for the protestsโ while condemning the violence.
Approximately 25,000โข people demonstrated in Giessen, central Hesse, against the afd youth wing’s โขestablishment. While largely peaceful, โคthe demonstration saw confrontations betweenโข protestors and police, โresulting in injuries to over 50 law enforcement officers, according โขto the Hessian state government. The “Resist” alliance,however,reported instances of excessive force โused by police.
During aโ currentโ hour in the Bundestag, afd MP Robin Jรผnger labeled Antifa a โ”lawless group of thugs who use every means possible.” Fellow AfD parliamentarian Uwe Schulz โasserted, “In reality, Saturday was โa day โคwhen โthe left-wing extremists came to power in Giessen.”
Responding to the AfD’s claims, โGreen Party parliamentary group leader Irene Mihalic โargued thatโ “the threat to democracy did โnot come from those who protested โคoutside the hall, but from those who gathered in the โhall.” Frederik Bouffier of the CDU voiced โขunderstanding โfor the protests but cautioned that individuals resorting to street blockades and stone-throwing โwere โค”just as extreme as the right-wing group.”
The debate underscores the deep political divisions within Germany surrounding the rise of the AfD and the increasingly fraught atmosphere surrounding its public events. The incidentโ in Giessen is likely to fuel further discussion about the balance between โฃfreedomโค of assembly, security concerns, โand the response to โฃpolitical extremism.
