250 participants were initially registered, then the “Gießen stays colorful” alliance increased the expected number to 3,000, and finally more than 12,000 people came: Giessen saw the largest demonstration in around three decades.
The space in front of the town hall was far from enough for all participants, so the police also opened up the adjacent streets for the demonstration under the motto “Gießen defends itself – never again is now”. Around 30 years ago there was a parade of similar dimensions, and then a five-figure number of people took to the streets in the university town against racism.
“The majority wants a democratic society”
The plans of right-wing extremists for the mass deportation of people with foreign roots (“remigration”) uncovered by the Correctiv research group are an attack on fundamental rights and on the Jewish community in this country, said Dov Aviv, representative of the Jewish-Islamic Society in the city.
12,000 people: Gießen has probably not seen a comparable demonstration for decades.
:
Image: Michael Braunschädel
“There is no place for racism here,” Aviv, who is also chairman of the Jewish Community of Giessen, shouted to the demonstrators who had followed the call of the alliance of clubs, unions, church communities and parties. You could see posters with slogans like “We don’t need space for hatred and agitation,” “Human rights instead of right-wing people,” “EkelhAfD” and “The B in racism stands for education.”
“The AfD is not an alternative for anything,” said Aviv. Rather, it is a Nazi party. Members of the AfD took part in the right-wing extremist meeting in Potsdam, which Correctiv reported on. Aviv also told the participants that the AfD was a “minority party”. “Whether she has 15 or 20 percent – we are 70 or 80 percent.” The majority wants a democratic society.
The speaker appealed to people to continue to stand up for the values of a free society, both publicly and privately. He called on those who voted for the AfD in protest to rethink. An unnamed speaker had previously criticized a new law that would make deportations easier.
#Demo #Giessen #AfD #alternative
