On Sunday, thousands of people gathered in German cities to protest right-wing extremism and demanded an alternative to the ban on the German (AFD) party.
The demonstration was co-organized by the Internet, against rights and other civil society groups.
In Berlin, protesters gathered at the entrance to Brandenburg, and police estimated that by late afternoon, the crowd was about 4,000, while organizers claimed about 7,500 participants. About 2,500 protesters also announced rallies in more than 60 cities across the country on the streets of Munich.
Organizers urged political leaders to start formal lawsuits to ban the far-right AFD, Germany's largest opposition party.
They argued in a statement that the issue of banning the party should not be regarded as a political decision but as a legal issue.
“To clarify this, politicians must have the courage to make a motion for the ban,” it said.
Organizers called on the federal government and the German Wehrmacht legislature and Friedrich Merz's new federal government to file an injunction lawsuit in the Federal Constitutional Court.
However, several senior members of the Meles conservative group expressed doubts, describing the move as politically and legally dangerous.
In Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the party has intensified the call from the Office for Constitutional Protection (BFV), which reclassified the AFD as a “confirmed right-wing extremist” effort earlier this month, escalating from the status of a previous “suspicious” threat. The new name allows for increased surveillance.
However, when the AFD took legal action, the BFV subsequently suspended the classification. Until the Cologne Administrative Court issued its ruling, the agency will continue to treat the parties as “suspicious” cases.
The AFD is known for its anti-immigration, anti-Muslim, European skepticism and nationalist rhetoric. For more than a decade, the Populist Party has been a flash point in German political life. In recent years, it has benefited by exploiting economic dissatisfaction and uneasiness with refugees.
As part of National Day of Action, a man held a sign with a crossed AFD logo at a rally held at Brandenburg Gate, “No excuses anymore – AFD is prohibited! Fabian Sommer/DPA
As part of the National Day of Action, participants in the demonstrations in front of the Freiburg Theatre “no excuses anymore – AFD is now banned!”, the coalition was called “common” by “with the right right.” Philipp von ditfurth/DPA
Banner reading during rally “For the banner reading “For the anti-right extremism” banner reading, part of National Action Day, “No excuses anymore – AFD is banned now! Philipp von ditfurth/DPA
