Germany divided - Thousands protest AfD youth in rally marred by clashes with police in Giessen

Germany divided - Thousands protest AfD youth in rally marred by clashes with police in Giessen

"A heavy police presence was seen in Giessen on Saturday as thousands of people rallied to disrupt the founding meeting of the new youth wing of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Footage showed officers clashing with protesters on the streets as demonstrators chanted “All together”, “Against fascism” and “Stop the arsonists,” opposing the launch of the AfD’s youth organisation. According to police, protests erupted in several parts of the city, with some people reportedly throwing stones at officers and attempting to break through barriers. Groups including the 'Resist' alliance, 'Omas gegen Rechts', 'Sea-Watch', and trade unions set up blockades at 16 locations across the city, causing significant disruption and traffic delays as part of an effort to delay the start of the event. Police said up to 50,000 people took part in rallies, with several officers and protesters injured. Around 6,000 officers were deployed to protect roughly 1,000 AfD delegates."