Tens of thousands to protest as police brace for AfD party conference in Erfurt

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Tens of thousands to protest as police brace for AfD party conference in Erfurt
Five German states block protests ahead of AfD party congress in Erfurt
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Tens of thousands of protesters are expected to flood Erfurt on Saturday as police brace for mass demonstrations against the Alternative for Germany’s (AfD) federal party conference, with organisers of the “Widersetzen” alliance vowing to deploy sit-down blockades to prevent the event from proceeding. The mobilisation, described by organisers as the largest anti-AfD protest in years, comes amid warnings from authorities that they will intervene against any illegal obstruction of the congress, which is scheduled to open at the Erfurt Messe on Saturday morning.
The “Widersetzen” coalition has publicly committed to non-violent resistance but has refused to rule out sit-down protests that could force police to clear access routes to the venue. Thuringia’s interior ministry confirmed on Friday that up to 50,000 officers from federal and state forces will be on duty, with contingency plans for “violent counter-protesters” drawn from both far-left and far-right fringes. “We will not tolerate any attempt to prevent a legally constituted party conference from taking place,” said a ministry spokesperson .
Critics of the blockade strategy argue that such tactics risk backfiring by portraying the AfD as a victim of state repression. In a commentary published on Friday, the *Handelsblatt* warned that “whoever tries to shut down the AfD’s party conference abandons democratic discourse and drives more voters into the party’s arms” . FDP deputy leader Wolfgang Kubicki echoed the sentiment, telling *Welt* that “a democratic rule-of-law state lives by enforcing its own rules” and urging political engagement rather than physical obstruction .
Inside the congress hall, power struggles between party co-chairs Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla are expected to dominate proceedings, with regional delegates pushing for a harder line on migration and fiscal policy. A descendant of the historic Simson motorcycle dynasty, whose family was expropriated in East Germany, is scheduled to address a parallel rally organised by AfD-affiliated groups outside the venue .
Thuringia’s Left Party premier, Bodo Ramelow, has publicly opposed any attempt to block the conference, stating that “democracy is defended through debate, not barricades” . Police have already erected extensive barriers around the Messe grounds and adjacent transport hubs, while organisers of the counter-protests have pledged to maintain a “peaceful but uncompromising” presence throughout the weekend.
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