Tens of thousands of Germans protested on Saturday in Berlin and other cities against the potential rise to power of the far-right, pro-Russian party "Alternative for Germany" ("AfD") ahead of the general elections on February 23.
The protests were reported by the AP, as noted by "European Truth".
A massive crowd gathered at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. People whistled, sang anti-fascist songs, and carried placards condemning the "AfD".
„Wehrt euch, leistet Widerstand.
Gegen den Faschismus hier im Land.
Haltet fest zusammen, haltet fest zusammen!“#b2501 pic.twitter.com/YnTeAU1dNN– Mehmed König (@mehmedkoenig) January 25, 2025
The demonstrators expressed hope that the rally would also draw attention to other far-right parties in Europe and the new administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
"Those who incite racism and attack climate protection are not just campaigning; they are endangering lives," said Luisa Neubauer from the climate group "Fridays for Future," addressing a crowd estimated by police at 35,000.
Thousands protested in Berlin and other cities across Germany against far-right extremism and the growing popularity of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, ahead of a Feb. 23 general election.
– DW News (@dwnews) January 25, 2025
👉 https://t.co/xn1ur0J4Dw pic.twitter.com/oA1lvxt0NI
In Cologne, a major city in West Germany, police estimated the crowd at the rally to be 40,000.
Thousands protested in Berlin and other cities across Germany against far-right extremism and the rising popularity of the anti-immigrant party "Alternative for Germany" (AfD), on the eve of the general elections on February 23.
Saturday's protests occurred as the "AfD" launched its election campaign in the central city of Halle, where the party leader Alice Weidel, a candidate for chancellor, addressed around 4,500 people.
Weidel has the support of Elon Musk, who spoke at the rally remotely. His open endorsement sparked a wave of outrage in Germany.
The opposition center-right bloc CDU/CSU and its chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz lead the pre-election polls, followed by the "AfD".
Polls indicate that most Germans believe Musk's support for the "AfD" positively influenced the party's standing ahead of the elections.