Berlin (dpa) – In recent days, hundreds of thousands of people all over Germany have been taking to the streets to demonstrate for democracy and against right-wing extremism. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser wrote the following about the protests: “So many people standing up for what they believe in – our democracy relies on strong democrats like you!” Initial counts conducted by the police and the organisers indicate that at least 300,000 people demonstrated nationwide.
The protests were sparked, among other things, by information revealed by the Correctiv research centre about a meeting of right-wing extremists in Potsdam in November 2023. The former head of the right-wing extremist Identitarian movement in Austria, Martin Sellner, had by his own account talked at the meeting of “remigration”. When right-wing extremists use this term, they generally mean that a large number of people of foreign origin should leave – or even be forced to leave – the country.
On Sunday, thousands are expected to take to the streets in other cities, such as Berlin, Chemnitz, Dresden, Cologne and Munich, to make a stand for democracy and against the far right. The International Auschwitz Committee thanked those who have been protesting all over Germany. “Holocaust survivors are more than grateful to all those who are taking to the streets during these days to protest against the hatred and lies of the right-wing extremists. They regard these demonstrations as a powerful sign from citizens and as an injection of life into democracy that they have long hoped and waited for,” said Executive Vice President Christoph Heubner.