Protest Delays AfD Youth Conference in Giessen
On Saturday, a significant protest involving many activists, reportedly linked to Antifa—designated by President Trump as a domestic terrorist organization—interrupted the start of a conference held by Generation Deutschland, the youth wing of the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Attendance at the AfD youth rally in Giessen ranged from 25,000 to 30,000, which led to a historic police presence in Hesse, with around 6,000 officers deployed.
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel criticized the demonstrators at the convention center, expressing, “What is going on there, dear leftists, dear extremists, you need to look at yourself, is deeply undemocratic.”
State Department Identifies First Antifa Foreign Terrorist in Europe
Reports indicated that police utilized pepper spray after stones were thrown at one point during the protest. Water cannons were also employed to disperse about 2,000 blockading demonstrators who ignored orders to leave. This method was repeated later in the day when the protesters attempted to breach barricades near the convention center. Authorities stated that around 10 to 15 individuals sustained minor injuries.
Richard Grenell, the former U.S. ambassador to Germany, shared a warning on X regarding the rise of an anti-democratic left in Germany. He remarked, “An intolerant and violent left is gaining ground in Germany. If we follow the example of the American left, we will promote deadly violence and lose popular support and elections.” He criticized the German media for allegedly enabling the left, while noting the relative weakness of conservative outlets.
Governor Critiques Violence Against Police
Hessian state governor Boris Rhein of the Christian Democratic Union condemned the violence against police and the effort to sabotage the AfD youth event. Saying, “Using violence or attempting to stop a rally by marching can never be a democratic tool,” he emphasized the need for peaceful protest.
Despite achieving a notable 20.8% of the vote in the February elections, the AfD has struggled to form coalitions with mainstream political parties, which view its policies as radical.
At the conference, the AfD youth wing elected 28-year-old Janpaskar Holm as its president. Previously reported to hold anti-immigrant and nationalist views, Holm stated, “We will fight resolutely for a real change in immigration policy that will ensure that Germany remains the homeland of the German people.”
The emergence of Generation Deutschland followed the classification of its predecessor, Young Alternative, as an “extremist organization” by Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service in 2023, which resulted in its disbandment.
The AfD continues to position itself as an anti-establishment party amid prevalent distrust in politicians. Since entering parliament in 2017, largely in response to increased immigration, the party has made curbing immigration its main platform, while also addressing various other public grievances, as was evident from the confidence displayed by its leaders during Saturday’s event.
