With their “Manifesto for Peace”, Sahra Wagenknecht and Alice Schwarzer caused heated discussions and have now called for a demonstration in Berlin.
Several thousand people gathered at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin for a rally for negotiations with Russia on the Ukraine war. Left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht and women’s rights activist Alice Schwarzer called for the demonstration. Police spoke of at least 10,000 participants on Saturday afternoon. A spokeswoman for the organizers spoke of around 50,000 participants, and many people turned out.
“It is already very crowded in Praça 18 de Março and people continue to crowd the rally,” police tweeted in the afternoon. Meanwhile, S-Bahn and U-Bahn trains no longer stopped at the Brandenburg Gate. Police wanted to be on duty with 1,400 troops on Saturday because of war-related demonstrations in Mitte. She was supported by colleagues from Saxony-Anhalt. A police spokesperson said there were minor punches backstage at the event at the Brandenburg Gate. In addition, according to the police, a group of left-wing counter-demonstrators had a strong argument with the editor of “Revista Compacta”, Jürgen Elsässer. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies the magazine as a proven right-wing extremist effort.
“Rebellion for Peace”
On the website of the “Rebellion for Peace” rally, participants were asked to refrain from flying party and national flags. “Extreme right flags, emblems and symbols have no place at our rally,” he said.
Left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht and women’s rights activist Alice Schwarzer called for the demonstration under the slogan “Rebellion for Peace”. Two weeks ago, the two published a “Manifesto for Peace” in which they urged German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to “stop the escalation in arms deliveries”. The women’s rights activist and left-wing politician calls for a ceasefire and peace talks with Russia. Critics accused Wagenknecht and Schwarzer of being “naive”.
Scholz (SPD), Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) and Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FPD) have also made it clear that they do not share the condemnation. One must understand “that the Russian president currently accepts only one form of negotiation, namely that someone capitulates unconditionally and he implements all of his goals,” Scholz said. On the Internet, however, more than 640,000 people declared their approval of the “Manifesto” by Saturday afternoon.
(APA)