Two police officers were attacked and seriously injured this Saturday June 29, 2024 by demonstrators who came to protest against the congress of the far-right AfD party, in Essen, in western Germany, reportsAFPThe incident took place near the community hall, the “Grugahalle”, where some 550 delegates of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) are meeting until Sunday, the police of the North Rhine-Westphalia region said in a statement.
“Unknown people kicked two police officers in the head” and continued to “hit them while they were on the ground”she clarified. “Seriously injured”, both men had to be hospitalized. Seven of their colleagues were also injured, but slightly, during the same attack. The perpetrators fled.
“Nothing justifies violence”
Eleven police officers were also attacked in the morning by protesters, partly “hooded”during one of the many street blockades organized to disrupt the arrival of the delegates. Several people were arrested, according to the authorities. “Against right-wing extremism and racism, we need strong democratic forces and peaceful protests”reacted Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on “nothing justifies violence”she judged.
A thousand police officers have been deployed to ensure security in the city, where the authorities had said they feared “potentially violent far-left troublemakers”. On Saturday, most of the 50,000 demonstrators according to the organizers – the police did not give figures – nevertheless marched calmly, carrying banners and signs on which one could read « Résistance ! » or “Together for democracy”.
AfD aims to “govern”
During the congress, Tino Chrupalla, who was re-elected by a landslide, as was Alice Weidel, for two more years at the head of the AfD, displayed the party’s ambition to one day gain power in Germany. “We want to govern, first in the east, then in the west, then at the federal level” German, he said. He highlighted the progress made at local level and in the European elections, in which this party, founded in 2013, obtained the best score in its history, with almost 16% of the vote, ahead of the Social Democratic Party of Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
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The AfD, a party hostile to migrants, is also expected to win the regional elections in three Länder in eastern Germany in September, but without reaching a score that would allow it to govern alone. However, until now, the other parties have always ruled out cooperating with it. Tino Chrupalla regretted a missed opportunity in the European elections, while the AfD was still credited with 22% in the polls in January before losing ground following several controversies surrounding its lead candidate Maximilian Krah. The AfD is however ” on the right track “ to found his group, assured Alice Weidel, without specifying further.
