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Germany's right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party was met with a huge crowd of protesters on Saturday after a report revealed that it discussed deporting millions of immigrants, including German citizens, late last year.
Investigative journalism group Correctiv published a report on Wednesday about the meeting between the AfD and the Identitarian Movement (IM) in November, claiming that IM member Martin Sellner presented a plan to “repatriate” immigrants from Germany, including those who already have citizenship. but they failed to integrate.
The AfD has confirmed that the meeting, which was allegedly filmed with hidden cameras, took place, but rejected claims that it reflected their party's policies.
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“The AfD will not change its position on immigration policy based on a single opinion at a non-AfD meeting,” a spokesman told Portal.
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As part of nationwide demonstrations against right-wing extremism, people will gather on Stuttgart's Schlossplatz on Saturday. (Christoph Schmidt/dpa via AP)
Protesters across Germany held signs on Saturday that read “Never again is now,” “Defend democracy” and “Against hate,” as the meeting drew comparisons to the Nazis.
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Around 35,000 people took part in a protest rally in Frankfurt on Saturday and around 50,000 in one in Hamburg, police said. Others took place in cities such as Stuttgart, Nuremberg and Hanover.
The demonstration in Hamburg ended early due to security concerns due to the large crowd.
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Large protests are also planned for Sunday in cities such as Berlin and Munich.
The report and the subsequent protests have also renewed calls for a ban on the AfD in the country.
German demonstrators carry a sign reading “Stop the AfD!” in Erfurt on Saturday as part of nationwide demonstrations against right-wing extremism. (Jacob Schroeter/dpa via AP)
The AfD was founded in 2013 and, according to surveys, has around 23% of voters in the country.
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Last year, the AfD was the first right-wing party since the Nazi era to win a mayoral and district council election. It also made significant gains in the state elections in Bavaria and Hesse.
In a statement on social media last week, Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the AfD and the Identitarian Movement, comparing them to the Third Reich.
“We protect everyone – regardless of origin, skin color or how uncomfortable someone feels for fanatics with assimilation fantasies,” said Scholz.
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Although immigration is a top issue in the country, Scholz himself previously admitted that “too many are coming”.
Timothy HJ Nerozzi of Fox News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.