German police are preparing for what could be one of the largest protests against the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) in recent years.
Internal security assessments warn that more than 50,000 demonstrators could gather at the party’s conference, scheduled for July 4-5 in Erfurt, eastern Germany.
The greatest concern, according to internal police documents reviewed by WELT, is the possibility that a hard core of up to 2,500 aggressive left-wing extremists could provoke unrest similar to that during the G20 meeting in Hamburg in 2017.
The party conference takes place at a politically tense moment for AfD, which leads in national polls with around 28 percent support, ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrats, who have around 22 percent support.
Party conferences are the highest governing assemblies of AfD, where delegates determine the group’s direction, shape its agenda, and make key personnel decisions ahead of election campaigns. This year, the stakes are particularly high. In September, AfD has a significant chance of winning a majority of votes in the eastern states of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania—two races that could further test Germany’s political ‘firewall’ against the far-right.
Police believe that aggressive activists could use the significantly larger crowds of protesters in Erfurt as cover to attack officers and disrupt the conference.
The police in the Thuringia region, which includes Erfurt, confirmed they expect an exceptionally large-scale protest operation, including coordinated attempts to block access routes to the exhibition center where the conference will take place. Law enforcement declined to comment on the assessment regarding 2,500 aggressive extremists, citing operational security.
Mass blockades and attacks expected
Importantly, the internal assessment states that the police’s initial worst-case scenario is now considered potentially realistic. Officers expect up to 30 blockade points around the venue and warn that aggressive groups could merge with peaceful demonstrations before launching attacks on police officers, vehicles, and barriers.
According to the police, the nationwide protest network Widersetzen (‘Resistance’), which advocates for mass civil disobedience and blockade tactics, has helped organize the mobilization along with trade unions, church groups, climate activists, and anti-fascist organizations.
Authorities are also evaluating calls posted on the far-left platform Indymedia, urging activists from Italy, France, and Switzerland to come to Erfurt.
The previous federal conference of AfD in Riesa, Saxony, was also accompanied by clashes between police and demonstrators opposing AfD.
Source: Politico