Thousands protest in the city center

To eat. One day before the AfD’s controversial federal party conference, counter-demonstrators took up positions in Essen and police gathered strong forces. North Rhine-Westphalia’s Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) told the editorial network Germany (RND) that 80,000 demonstrators are expected over the weekend. It could also be 100,000, a ministry spokesperson added on Friday.

Police are keeping special watch on around 1,000 left-wing extremists from all over Germany and abroad, who are expected in Essen. Reports are coming from the area that the party congress will be prevented by violent actions if possible. The police were already clearly present at central locations in the city on Friday.

Demos against AfD party conference: Essen faces turbulent weekend

The AfD wants to hold its federal party conference on June 29 and 30 in the Grugahalle in Essen. Tens of thousands are expected to protest against it, and there will also be blockades. The most important questions and answers at a glance.

The Friday demo starts with “Bass against Hate” rave

The larger protests started on Friday evening with a rave demonstration with several thousand people. Under the motto ‘Bass against hate’, well-known DJs played and rode with music wagons in a demonstration train from the central station to the Grugahalle, where the AfD meets on Saturday and Sunday. According to the organizer, between 4,000 and 5,000 people accompanied the train. The police spoke of a peaceful incident around 10 p.m. A spokeswoman estimated the number of participants at about 5,000.

The security measures partially paralyzed the popular shopping and entertainment district of Rüttenscheid on Friday. Residents could only enter their homes on foot and after an identity check. Drivers had to avoid the Grugahalle. Bus and tram traffic was suspended on several routes. A police helicopter circled above the city. The popular Grugapark with its large outdoor pool was also closed for security reasons.

“Involuntarily closed” read a sign in a gift shop on what was actually a very busy Rüttenscheider Straße. “If customers don’t come to us, I might as well leave the store,” said a visibly irritated shopkeeper. In some shops, planks were bolted to the windows for fear of riots.

Up to 4,000 activists are camping a few kilometers outside the city

A few kilometers outside the city in an open area on the Ruhr, a tent camp for demonstrators filled up on Friday. The “Camp against Racism” was originally planned for a more central location, but was banned there by the police for security reasons – much to the anger of the organizers. Now the more than 4,000 activists have to pitch their tents on a meadow on the city limits of Bochum.

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Friday’s actions are the start of a series of rallies, demonstrations and rallies that will accompany the AfD’s two-day federal party conference on Saturday and Sunday at the Grugahalle in Essen. The peak of the protests is expected on Saturday. According to police estimates, at least 45,000 demonstrators could gather at a central meeting organized by the city alone.

A sit-in blockade was announced for the Grugahalle on Saturday morning

The police are deployed with several thousand people. There is potential for conflict, especially if left-wing activists make good on their announcement and try to prevent the approximately 600 delegates from traveling to the party conference. An initiative has already announced sit-ins in the Grugahalle for early Saturday morning. The police explicitly warned the demonstrators against such actions. “Blockages aimed at disrupting or preventing the AfD federal party conference constitute a criminal offense,” the police emphasized.

In the left-wing scene, there had been action training in advance, in which, for example, blockade actions were practiced, CDU politician Reul told the RND. “And that is exactly where not only the understanding ends, but also where the criminality of the counter-protest begins.”

Reul appealed for understanding of the police operation. “Equal opportunities for all political parties is an essential part of our free democratic basic order.” The police will therefore ensure that the party congress runs uninterrupted and, if necessary, “guarantee this protection very robustly.”

The AfD wants to re-elect the board at the party conference on Saturday and Sunday. The city of Essen had been looking for ways to prevent the AfD party conference for months, but ultimately failed in court.

RND/dpa