Thousands protest against AfD in Berlin after election victory

11:00

By: Azzat Manal

Thousands protest against AfD in Berlin after election victory

Thousands of people took to the streets in Berlin on Monday evening to protest against the Alternative for Germany (AfD), following the party’s strong performance in the Saxony-Anhalt state election.

Police estimated that around 5,000 people gathered near the Brandenburg Gate, while organizers put attendance at approximately 14,000. Authorities said the demonstration remained peaceful and no major incidents were reported.

The protest was organized on short notice by the Campact campaign group and Fridays for Future, the climate movement. Prominent climate activist Luisa Neubauer joined the demonstration, along with leading candidates from the Greens and the Left Party ahead of Berlin’s state election scheduled for September 20.

Demonstrators carried banners condemning racism and far-right politics, including messages calling for an end to fascism and opposing the AfD. Chants against fascism could also be heard during the rally.

The protests followed the AfD’s decisive victory in Saxony-Anhalt’s election on Sunday. Although the party secured the largest share of the vote, it fell short of an outright majority, leaving the possibility of coalition negotiations and raising the prospect of the AfD leading a state government for the first time.

Germany’s domestic intelligence service has classified the AfD’s Saxony-Anhalt branch as confirmed far-right extremist, adding to the controversy surrounding the party’s electoral gains.

Demonstrations were also reported in several other German cities and regions. In Schwerin, several hundred people gathered, while more than 500 participated in a collective singing event in Rostock. In Essen, police estimated the crowd at around 1,200 people, with protesters carrying rainbow flags and signs opposing the AfD.

Hundreds more demonstrated in Potsdam and parts of Hesse, while around 80 people gathered in Kassel. In Frankfurt, approximately 2,500 people protested on Sunday, with some calling for renewed consideration of a possible ban on the AfD.

The wave of demonstrations highlights the growing political tensions surrounding the rise of the far right in Germany. The AfD’s electoral advances have intensified debates over the country’s political alliances, the limits of cooperation with the party and the future of Germany’s democratic institutions.