Thousands of people took to the streets in Berlin on Saturday evening, gathering in front of the Brandenburg Gate with a “sea of lights”to protest against the right-wing shift in the country. The demonstration, organized by a coalition of left-leaning groups, also aimed to reject the migration plans of the Union and the possibility of cooperation with the AfD.
According to the organizers, around 100,000 people participated in the event, while the police estimated the crowd to be between 30,000 and 35,000. Protesters chanted “Resist”and “United against fascism”with some holding signs that read “Merz, Söder, Spahn, Steeped in Fascism”as reported by the AFP news agency.
The coalition is demanding a robust democracy through the promotion of democratic initiatives, the banning of democracy’s enemies, the protection of the living conditions of all people, the consistent fight against disinformation and the maintenance of the “Berlin Wall”against the AfD.
Many commentators were outraged by the smiling faces of Green politicians, which they saw as a sign of insensitivity in the wake of the Aschaffenburg bloodshed.
The demonstration also targeted the plans of CDU leader Friedrich Merz, who is set to submit a bill to toughen up the country’s migration policy in the upcoming week. According to media reports, he has hinted internally that he would consider votes from the AfD. Two weeks ago, he had ruled out the possibility.