Violence Erupts in Giessen During AfD Youth Branch Launch

On Saturday morning, far-left violence broke out in Giessen as Antifa members attacked politicians and police while the Alternative for Germany (AfD) celebrated the launch of a new youth branch. This new group comes after the disbanding of the former Junge Alternative, which had been labeled an “extremist organization” by the country’s domestic intelligence agency earlier this year.

Organizers claim around 20,000 leftist protesters flooded the streets of Gießen to express their discontent over the AfD’s new youth initiative. Reports indicate that a coalition of Antifa and radical feminist groups utilized bottles, stones, and flares against law enforcement, who responded with water cannons, batons, and pepper spray to manage the violent crowd.

During this chaos, AfD MP Julian Schmidt was struck during an encounter with protestors as he attempted to enter the venue for the meeting. He expressed concern that he might have suffered a broken nose. “It was around 8 a.m. when we parked in an industrial area and walked toward the hall. Suddenly, a group of men confronted us. We tried to avoid contact, but they began hitting me, and I instinctively tried to defend myself,” he recalled.

Schmidt added, “I couldn’t tell if they recognized me as a member of parliament. They didn’t even ask who I was before the violence began. Afterward, the paramedics suggested I might have a broken nose.”

At the meeting’s opening, AfD leader Alice Weidel urged Antifa and other extremists to “disarm,” asserting that such conflicts should not occur on the streets. She also criticized the German media for allegedly inciting violence against her party, stating, “If you support open borders, you align with the media. However, if you advocate for immigration control, you’ll be labeled unfairly.”

Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrint condemned the leftist violence, emphasizing respect for police facing masked rioters armed with smoke bombs and other offensive tools. “There’s no right that justifies the use of violence against our security forces,” he remarked.

Prior to the protests, Indymedia, an Antifa-linked platform, circulated calls encouraging demonstrations against the AfD’s youth faction. In one communication, they stated that mere protests wouldn’t suffice and urged followers to utilize “any means necessary” to hinder the rally. Their message stressed the importance of large-scale actions to disrupt the activities of right-wing extremists.

“We aim not just to voice our opposition to the rise of the right, but also to actively stop neo-Nazi endeavors,” they proclaimed. “Whether trying to interrupt events, block highways, or even ignite unrest in Giessen or elsewhere, we will resist. Do it whenever and however you see fit!”

This recent incident marks another chapter in the increasing tensions involving Germany’s far-left, especially following the Trump administration’s designation of several European Antifa groups, including Germany’s Hammer Gang, as foreign terrorist organizations.