Violence Erupts at AfD Conference as Police Union Critiques Antifa
The Berlin police union has criticized Antifa members, labeling them “extremists” for their violent efforts to disrupt the Alternative for Germany (AfD) conference, arguing that their actions reflect the very fascist tendencies they claim to oppose.
On Saturday, around 25,000 left-wing demonstrators flooded the university town of Giessen, where clashes with police ensued. Among the attendees were parliament members gathering for the launch of AfD’s youth branch, Generation Germany.
According to the Hesse Interior Ministry, over 50 police officers sustained injuries due to militants’ assaults, which included punching, kicking, and even firing fireworks at law enforcement. Reports mentioned that demonstrators attempted to overpower police lines.
Left-wing activists took action by trying to blockade 15 roads to hinder AfD supporters from reaching the conference. In response, police deployed water cannons and pepper spray to disperse the militants. While about 1,000 demonstrators were involved in violent acts, only three arrests have been made so far.
This violence followed a recent designation of several European Antifa factions, including Germany’s Hammer Gang, as terrorist organizations by the Trump administration.
Torsten Schleheider, the vice president of the Berlin police union, remarked that “left-wing extremism has once again shown its ugly head,” noting that nearly 30 police colleagues were injured during the disturbances.
In a statement on social media, Schleheider described radicals as “hypocritical, self-righteous, undemocratic, misanthropic, and violent.”
AfD party leader Alice Weidel condemned the ongoing left-wing violence, insisting that it “cannot continue.” She voiced her frustration towards the media and political establishment for allegedly inciting aggression against populist parties, even drawing parallels to Adolf Hitler’s Nazis.
In a speech, she expressed concern that events in Giessen indicate a risk of descending into a left-wing dictatorship, suggesting that organized extremism threatens the rule of law.
Aside from injuries suffered by police, several conference attendees were also attacked outside. For instance, AfD MP Julian Schmidt was surrounded by a group of about 20 masked Antifa militants who assaulted him while chanting slogans against ‘fascists.’
Before the protests, a message on a far-left platform urged Antifa supporters to take “all necessary measures” to disrupt the AfD event, stating their goal was to send a message against the rise of right-wing extremism.
Despite ongoing vilification from mainstream media and Berlin’s political establishment, the AfD’s support continues to grow among voters, reaching an all-time high of 27% according to a recent poll. In contrast, the ruling CDU/CSU bloc dropped to 24.5%.
Additionally, an investigation by RTL/NTV revealed that public satisfaction with Chancellor Merz has plummeted to a new low of 22%, marking a significant decline in just six months in office, placing him on par with his predecessor, Olaf Scholz, who recently suffered a major electoral defeat.
