Left-wing alliance claims success in AfD congress protests

Despite failing to disrupt the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party congress in Erfurt, the left-wing alliance "Widersetzen" declared its protests a success. While acknowledging they did not prevent the congress, organizers highlighted that making it difficult for AfD members to attend constituted a victory. The alliance plans to re-evaluate its protest tactics.

Protests mobilized an estimated 50,000 people, according to the initiators. Police figures indicated up to 31,000 participants in various assemblies and approximately 10,000 involved in blockade actions, though the alliance claimed 17,000 participated in blockades. Regardless of the protests, the AfD congress commenced on schedule Saturday morning, with hundreds of delegates arriving overnight.

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each case in which AfD members were made to travel more difficult was a success.

The Thuringian police reported a generally positive operational outcome on Sunday, deploying several thousand officers to secure the congress and over 30 registered assemblies. Blockades, rappelling actions, and temporary road closures, including the A71 motorway until Saturday afternoon, were noted. By Sunday noon, police had registered 65 criminal offenses and 13 administrative offenses, with eleven officers sustaining minor injuries. The police stated these actions did not affect the congress's proceedings.

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The alliance will review its strategy.