The start of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) federal party convention in Riesa, Saxony, has been delayed by an hour due to the massive protests that have been ongoing since the early morning hours. The originally scheduled 10 a.m. start was pushed back, reportedly due to a significant number of delegates failing to arrive in the venue on time.
In the city, counter-demonstrations had begun as early as the morning, with the police, which has deployed a large force, anticipating up to 10,000 participants from across the federal state. While the initial atmosphere remained largely peaceful, the mood was tense, and isolated groups attempted to breach police cordons around Riesa.
Furthermore, there were delays on the counter-demonstration side: according to the police, only a few individuals were initially present on the designated protest area. In contrast, the B 169 was rendered impassable due to police measures in the context of the counter-protest in the Riesa area. Additionally, the route from the train station to the venue was congested. However, the protest area did eventually fill up with more participants over time.