Against the corona policy in Saxony: With torches and loud shouts, around 30 people demonstrated in front of the house of Health Minister Köpping.
Grimma (Saxony) – About 30 people marched in front of the house of the Saxon Health Minister Petra Köpping (SPD) with torches, posters and loud calls on Friday evening to demonstrate against the Corona policy. When the police arrived, they fled by car. According to the police, 15 cars were stopped by the police and the identities of 25 people were established.
The Saxon Minister of Health lives in Grimma, has been in office since 2019 and has repeatedly had to deal with tough measures in the wake of the worsening corona pandemic in Saxony. Before that, she campaigned particularly intensively for integration into the East and the equalization of living conditions; she took a resolute stand against xenophobia and racism.
Petra Köpping (SPD) condemns the torch protest in front of her house
“I’m always ready to talk. Torch protests in front of my house are disgusting and indecent, ”said Petra Köpping of the dpa. Only objective criticism of the corona measures is completely legitimate. “I know that these are not protests, but organized attempts to intimidate right-wing extremists and conspiracy believers.” Unfortunately, these occur far too often – in front of doctors’ offices, at vaccination centers and hospitals, against mayors and other committed people. Such attempts at intimidation often ended in violence. That is dangerous for each individual and for cohesion.
“The state government sees in the torch protest a border crossing with the aim of intimidating those responsible. As a consequence, the protective measures for public officials and their families will be increased ”, said Saxony’s government spokesman Ralph Schreiber. The police have reported the violation of the Assembly Act and are investigating violations of the Corona Ordinance.
Protest in front of Köpping’s house: expression of solidarity from SPD party colleagues and the Greens
The SPD Saxony and the SPD federal chairwoman Saskia Esken condemned the protest in front of Köpping’s house and expressed their solidarity with the minister. Esken wrote on Twitter: “Even if the few Hansel try to spread fear and horror: the rational and willing to take responsibility are the great majority, and they are by your side!” In a tweet by the Saxon SPD it was said: “We show full Solidarity with @Koepping! Such images and deeds must not exist! ”
“I got to know Petra Koepping during the coalition negotiations as a passionate democrat and empathetic politician. These threats in the private sphere from radicalized lateral thinkers are unbearable, “writes the deputy federal chairman of the Greens, Ricarda Lang on Twitter. She demands: “Full solidarity!”
The SPD will vote on the coalition agreement on Saturday – there were disagreements in the run-up.
Petra Köpping (SPD) as a target: Walter-Borjans calls the march “fascistoid”
The outgoing party leader of the SPD, Norbert Walter-Borjans, condemned the torchlight protest with sharp words: “I am not afraid to call what happened yesterday fascist,” he said Deutschlandfunk. “It is absolutely shocking because this march in front of the house of the SPD politician suggests comparisons to a time in Germany when you have stood in front of houses with drums and torches.”
It is only a small minority that is promoting this radicalization. “But in the meantime it is clearly so far that there is a very clear need for all democrats in the country to set themselves apart and for the law enforcement officers to intervene clearly.” In Saxony, according to the Corona Ordinance, only gatherings with a maximum of ten people are allowed – and only in one fixed place. On Friday evening there were protests against the current Corona course in several Saxon locations. (dpa / kat)
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