Germany: Nationwide protests against the far right

A large crowd gathered at the Römerberg in central Frankfurt am Main Saturday to demonstrate against the AfD and right-wing extremism. Police estimated that 70,000 people showed up for the event, determined to send a signal of resistance against right-wing activities under the motto "Defend Democracy."

"We want togetherness!" could be read on a poster in Nuremberg, where around 15,000 demonstrators gathered in response to recent news of a meeting of right-wing circles, including representatives of the AfD, CDU and the Identitarian Movement. The meeting reportedly focused on "remigration plans" calling for the deportation asylum-seekers and German citizens of foreign origin.

People also took to the streets in many small and medium-sized towns. According to police, around 18,000 people marched through Heidelberg city center — more than 10% of the city's population. And in Bonn, with a population of around 340,000, 25,000 people gathered.

There was also a large demonstration against the far right on the North Sea island of Sylt on Saturday. Around 1,000 islanders and guests at the popular tourist destination joined the demonstration at city hall.

Thousands of people gathered in bright sunshine at Ulm's Münsterplatz, carrying signs and shouting slogans rejecting hatred and hate speech. Police estimated the number of demonstrators at 10,000 in the southern German town.

Protesters also took to the streets in eastern Germany where the AfD has particularly high poll ratings. According to the police, around 60,000 gathered here in Leipzig.

The response to calls to demonstrate against the far right was so overwhelming in Munich that the event had to be canceled due to overcrowding. Police had initially estimated the number of participants at 80,000. When organizers announced they were expecting around 250,000 people, police said security could no longer be guaranteed.

This demonstrator in Munich held up a sign reading "Even the Potato Has a Migrant Background," in an ironic take on far-right "remigration plans." The word "remigration" was recently named Germany's "non-word of the year."

According to organizers, around 350,000 people gathered in Berlin over the weekend to voice their displeasure at the rise of right-wing tendencies in Germany under the motto: "Defending Democracy: Together Against the Right." Police put the number at around 100,000, including this pair of grandparents, Opa and Oma.

Despite cold weather, officials in Cologne estimated that some 70,000 residents took to the streets to march against the far right on Sunday. Germany's domestic intelligence chief, Thomas Haldenwang, welcomed the demonstrations, saying that all of the country's centrist-democratic parties had recognized the seriousness of the situation.