Thuringian court lifts ban on assemblies ahead of AfD party convention

A German court has overturned a ban on assemblies near the venue of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's federal convention in Erfurt. The administrative court in Weimar ruled on Friday evening that the ban, imposed by the state administration office, was unlawful because a police-enforced state of emergency had not been sufficiently proven.

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the general decree is aimed at prohibiting peaceful assemblies as well.

The decision means that protests will be permitted on access routes to the Messe Erfurt convention center, even though demonstrators, including the alliance "Widersetzen," have announced plans to block these routes. The AfD is set to hold its two-day convention, during which new party leaders will be elected. Security authorities anticipate up to 50,000 counter-demonstrators in Erfurt.

The state administration office had justified the ban by citing planned blockades and the need to protect emergency routes and public safety. However, the court found that the general decree was aimed at prohibiting peaceful assemblies as well. The ruling stated that the prohibition of assemblies should not target peaceful protests.

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it has not been proven that a state of police emergency exists.

While the decision allows for assemblies, the police are deploying thousands of officers from across Germany to manage the event and potential protests. This large police presence is partly due to concerns that hundreds of individuals with a propensity for violence might participate in the protests. Theoretically, an appeal against the court's decision can still be lodged with the Thuringian Higher Administrative Court.

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the fundamental right to freedom of assembly is valid in Erfurt and also in a large-scale situation.