German police engaged with tens of thousands of far-left protesters in Erfurt on Saturday as demonstrators voiced their opposition to the conservative Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Videos depicted police using batons and anti-riot measures against the agitators.
Authorities reported that over 30,000 people participated in the demonstrations. Protestors were seen holding signs with slogans such as "Stop AfD Nazis" and "For Diversity, Against Nazis." Despite the confrontations, police described the demonstrations as "mostly peaceful," noting approximately 100 instances of law violations, primarily related to graffiti.
The protests occurred concurrently with the AfD's party conference and leadership elections. The party, which is the second-largest parliamentary group in Germany's Bundestag, re-elected Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla as co-leaders. The demonstrations caused delays in the party's voting process, prompting co-leader Tino Chrupalla to criticize the protesters' methods. He stated, "There are no peaceful seated blockades. There are no democratic roadblocks. Nor are there any gangs of thugs who deserve the harmless label ‘civil society.’ These troublemakers are the last resort of our political rivals."
Chrupalla also asserted that the protesters acted anti-democratically, claiming, "They believe they have a monopoly on democracy. To these demonstrators I say: this democracy is just as much our democracy as it is yours."
A spokesperson for the antifascist group widersetzen, Lena Raupach, stated that the group's aim was to block the AfD's party convention. "The AfD pursues fascist policies: It wants mass deportations and terror on the streets," Raupach told the Associated Press. "It pursues policies that benefit the rich, not ordinary citizens. And we at widersetzen want a society in which all people have equal opportunities and equal security. We want a society based on solidarity."
The AfD has been actively combating accusations of extremism from various political factions and citizens, while rejecting the notion that its policies are extreme. The party argues that it "is being used as a political instrument by mainstream parties."
The AfD has experienced a significant rise in popularity, securing over 20% of the national vote in federal elections in 2025 and aiming for further gains. Some recent polls indicate the party is currently the most popular in the country.
"We will win. Maybe we’ll be able to govern alone soon," Chrupalla remarked. "That would send the right message to the enemies of democracy out there who wanted to prevent our party convention from taking place."
The party's platform and stances on social, cultural, and domestic issues, particularly immigration, have been noted to align with those of the former U.S. Trump administration. One attendee at the AfD conference was seen wearing a "Make Germany Great Again" hat. ![A man is wearing a "Make Germany Great Again" cap at the convention center.]( "A man is wearing a "Make Germany Great Again" cap at the convention center.")