RIESA, GERMANY, Jan 11 (AFP/APP): A key congress of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party was delayed Saturday as thousands shouting “No to Nazis” protested outside the venue in the eastern town of Riesa.
Once the congress started the party’s 600-odd delegates approved co-leader Alice Weidel as candidate for chancellor by acclamation ahead of a snap general election on February 23.
The two-day meet is also expected to agree the party’s election programme.
The draft version of the manifesto includes a pledge to leave the euro, reversing Germany’s exit from nuclear power and a tough immigration policy.
The programme was delayed by around two hours due to protests preventing delegates reaching the venue but eventually started just after 12pm (1100 GMT).
Police said at least 8,000 demonstrators had assembled outside the town’s convention centre.
The protestors braved the cold to shout slogans such as “no to Nazis” and listened to music from a stage erected by organisers.
Late on Saturday morning, a police spokesman said there was “no serious unrest” but that one road on the way to Riesa remained blocked by protestors.
Protest organisers said earlier on Saturday that police had hit groups of demonstrators and deployed pepper spray.
A statement from protest organisers said more than 12,000 people had turned out from all over Germany to voice their opposition to the AfD.
“The congress was delayed by wide-ranging, colourful and determined protests in many locations inside and outside the town,” the statement said.
Maria Schmidt, spokeswomen for the protest organisers, said: “Today we are protecting the right of people to live in safety without the fear of deportation or being attacked.”
“We are all making it clear: Riesa is not a peaceful place for fascism,” she said.
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