Protesters against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) clashed with German police on Saturday (June 29) in Essen, as the party was holding a conference there.
AfD delegates had to be escorted to the event venue by the police as protesters tried to block their way.
Local police said via X that some masked demonstrators attacked police officers and there were attempts to break through barriers, resulting in police using pepper spray and batons. Some protesters were then detained.
Thousands also marched peacefully against the far-right party in a large procession that set off from the main railway station, with demonstrators carrying anti-AfD signs and chanting “All together against fascism”.
Local media reported that around 100,000 people were expected to take part in the protests over the weekend.
European Parliament elections earlier this month saw AfD score 16 percent in second place behind the opposition Christian Democrats, while support for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s SPD fell to 13.9 percent, its worst result in postwar Germany.
