Around 10,000 at AfD protests - counter-demonstration smaller than expected

Several thousand participants protested against the government's policies at an AfD demonstration in Berlin on Saturday. The party had called for it nationwide. In the early afternoon, the demonstrators gathered on Republic Square in front of the Reichstag building and then marched through the city center. There were counter-demonstrations in several places. Nevertheless, according to the police, it remained largely peaceful until late afternoon.

At the opening rally, AfD federal chairman Tino Chrupalla spoke out against a gas price brake and for the lifting of sanctions against Russia. "Stop this policy of sanctions," he demanded. "The gas price will return to normal if we get cheap gas from Russia." The federal government does not make politics for the citizens. "The Greens in particular want our country to become poor and weak," said Chrupalla to applause from the audience. "We don't have to slow down the price of gas, we have to slow down the Greens."

"Federal Minister of Economics (Robert) Habeck has declared economic war on Russia," he said. In reality, Habeck is waging this war against the population. Habeck had to go, demanded the AfD chairman, whereupon numerous listeners shouted “Habeck gone”.

Some demonstrators may have arrived later than expected due to train cancellations in northern Germany in the morning. However, according to estimates by the Berlin police, around 10,000 people took part in the AfD rally, significantly more than the 4000 originally registered. An AfD spokesman called the same size in the afternoon.

On the other hand, according to the police, the counter-demonstrations were smaller than expected. According to a police spokeswoman, there were almost 1,500 people in total. The organizers had registered 2,500 people for the largest counter-demonstration of the “Stand up against racism” initiative and the alliance for a cosmopolitan and tolerant Berlin.

Counter-demonstrators from the Antifascist Action literally showed the middle finger to the participants in the AfD procession. Confetti made from shredded AfD flyers also rained down on the demo participants from the window of a building on Friedrichstrasse. Counter-demonstrators from the cultural initiative “The Many” lined up at the Brandenburg Gate with brightly colored flags.

The national manager of "Stand up against racism", Irmgard Wurdack, estimated the participants in the joint counter-demonstration on the Reichstag meadow at up to 1000 people. With all counter-demonstrations together, however, there were significantly more.

"It's frightening that so many people came to Berlin for the AfD demo despite train cancellations," said Wurdack. “We understand that people have concerns at this time. But it makes no sense to play off the weakest of the weak against each other.” Regarding the AfD slogan “Germany first”, she said: “The social rights of all count.” Exclusion does not help.

According to the police, there were hardly any incidents until later in the afternoon. Exceptions included an attack on a film crew. There was a scuffle with demonstrators, said the spokeswoman. "A mobile phone is said to have been damaged." The film team did not report it, but wanted to continue their work.

There was also a scuffle in the area of ​​the Federal Chancellery. On the one hand, there was a counter-demonstration there, and at the same time, many participants passed by on their way to the AfD event.

There were several blockade attempts on Friedrichstrasse to stop the AfD demo. "The people were removed from the road again so that the demonstrators could continue walking," said the police spokeswoman. There was a charge of theft after a counter-demonstrator tried to snatch a banner from a participant in the AfD demo.