Germany: Police, protesters clash near AfD state conference

Protesters and police clashed outside the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) Baden-Württemberg state party congress in Offenburg in the southwest of Germany.

Various protests against the event had been organized for the weekend.

Police said three police officers and two participants were injured with three people requiring a visit to the hospital, including one police officer, following clashes between demonstrators.

Twenty officers sustained light injuries connected to smoke inhalation as protesters set items on fire in one demonstration, Offenburg police said, but they were able to remain on duty. 

What do we know about the clashes?

During the demonstration, one individual sprayed a fire extinguisher at police.

German news agency DPA reported that police used their batons to halt a protest march while at the same time, police used loudspeakers to call on demonstrators to keep the peace. Offenburg police said the march was forcibly halted.

Police took down the details of more than 100 individuals and intend on investigating whether there is any possibility of criminal charges being brought against any protesters involved in the clashes.

Earlier in the day, demonstrations took place without incident at the main scheduled protest in the city center outside the Offenburg exhibition center, where the AfD conference was being held.

ar/msh (dpa)

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