Anti-racists from more than 80 towns and cities descended on Erfurt to disrupt the far right’s conference. Their action shows the power of mass resistance—but stopping the AfD also means taking on the cuts, racism and war that fuel its rise.
Tens of thousands of anti-fascists from across Germany mobilised in Erfurt on Saturday to blockade the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party’s conference.
Anti-racists marched through the city centre to the site of the conference—and, earlier that morning, eight blockades stopped traffic in every direction.
“As soon as it was announced that the AfD would be holding its conference in Erfurt, this became a priority,” protester Irmi told Socialist Worker.
“Speaking to anti-racist activists in Erfurt, they tell me that they’ve knocked on more than 20,000 doors in the last month alone.
“But activists across the country have been building for it relentlessly—and you see the results today.
“There are anti-fascists here from more than 80 different cities and towns.”
The counter-demonstration was called by Widersetzen, a broad alliance that brings together civil society organisations, political parties, student groups and trade unions.
There were banners from the Greens and the Labour-type SPD, the trade union Ver.di and Stand Up To Racism (Aufstehen gegen Rassismus).
Widersetzen means both “resist” and “sit down”.
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