Massive protests and violent clashes in Giessen, where AfD extremists launch new youth organization
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party launched a new youth organization called Generation Deutschland (Generation Germany, GD) on Saturday at a congress that saw massive, violent protests.
Protests took place in Giessen PHOTO Video capture X / Ian Collins @Ian_Collins_03
More than 800 participants adopted a youth statute, with rules regarding the role and activity of the new organization, which will be closely linked to AfD, unlike its predecessor, Junge Alternative (Young Alternative, JA), dissolved in the spring after the party severed relations with it, writes Agerpres.
Generation Deutschland will welcome any member of the AfD up to the age of 36, but young people who are not party members can also join the youth organization. AfD co-president Alice Weidel stated that the organization will be a training framework for the party. According to the politician, GD's role is primarily to provide capable young talent for the AfD.
The university hospital in Giessen, where the congress was held, treated several lightly injured people who presented themselves as protests against the new formation took place in the central German state of Hesse.
Source: X / Ian Collins @Ian_Collins_03
Due to the blockages on the streets and the demonstrations that prevented the access of the approximately 1000 expected participants, the congress started with a delay of two hours. A group of about 30-40 demonstrators from the street also tried to enter the room where the works were being carried out, passing the police barriers, who retaliated with a water cannon to repel the assault.
The police reported that about 10-15 law enforcement officers also suffered minor injuries.
Source: X / Ian Collins @Ian_Collins_03
An AfD deputy was injured, and the police announced that an aggressor had been arrested. Weidel specified that it was Julian Schmidt, beaten by about 20 people after he had parked his car near the hall where he was going to participate in the congress.
In total, according to the police, more than 10,000 people participated in the protests that started this morning; about 50,000 were expected. Protesters blocked several roads near Giessen, and in several places where clashes took place they threw bottles at ambulance crews. He chanted “All together, against fascism” and “stop the arsonists”.
Local law enforcement received reinforcements from all over Germany.
Source: X / Ian Collins @Ian_Collins_03
Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the violence and announced to his compatriots that they will see clashes between the extreme left and right on the evening news. “I want us, from the political center of the country, to show that we can solve the problems”he said.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the right to demonstrate is fundamental, but no such right justifies violence against security forces and added: “I have the greatest respect for police officers when I see masked people, anarchists, people with flares and torches approaching the police with the intention of resorting to violence”.
