Left-wing protesters have clashed with police and attacked supporters of the controversial AfD party
Mass demonstrations have started in the city of Giessen, where the right-wing Alternative for Germany party (AfD) has gathered for the weekend to establish a new youth organization called Generation Deutschland (GD).
The protests have been organized by the left-wing Resist alliance, which pledged to block the founding ceremony of the new group.
Activists with the alliance descended on typically quiet college town early on Saturday, attempting to block the roads, break through police cordons, and attack arriving AfD members and supporters.
Local police said groups of protesters were “massively” obstructing traffic. Law enforcement repeatedly used pepper spray and water cannons to dislodge the unruly protesters, who in turn hurled flares and other projectiles at the officers and engaged in head-on charges at police cordons.
Footage circulating online appears to show a group of black-clad left-wingers brawling with AfD MP Julian Schmidt. The lawmaker, seemingly supported by another individual, engaged in a physical confrontation with the protesters before being knocked to the ground, the video suggests.
Another video circulating online shows a group of violent protesters attacking a car on a road they tried to block. The vehicle reportedly carried either AfD members or journalists slated to cover the GD foundation ceremony.
The violent mob attacked marked police vehicles as well, another video suggests, showing German cops fleeing the scene after their side window was smashed.
Local police said up to 15 officers sustained minor injuries during the unrest. A number of protesters were hurt as well, with local media reporting multiple people showing up at local hospitals for emergency treatment over the day. At least one police horse was injured in the chaos, according to a disturbing picture circulating online.
The effort to disrupt the AfD event appeared to be partially successful, with the meeting reportedly starting behind schedule as several high-profile figures, including the party’s co-leaders Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel, as well as Jean-Pascal Hohm, unable to reach the designated venue on time. Holm was ultimately elected GD chairman.
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The new youth wing replaces the now-dissolved Young Alternative (JA). The latter was disbanded by the party this March after Germany’s federal intelligence agency labeled it an extremist group.
