After attack on SPD politician: Hundreds at demonstration

After the attack on SPD politician Matthias Ecke, around 2,000 people demonstrated for democracy and against violence in Dresden, according to police reports. They gathered in the Striesen district early on Sunday evening. Ecke had been beaten up there on Friday evening by four young men while putting up election posters.

East Germany fought for and won democracy in 1989, said Bundestag Vice-President Katrin-Göring-Eckardt (Greens) at the start of the demonstration. "And we will not back down against those who disparage democracy." And we will certainly not back down "if one of us has to experience violence", the politician emphasized. "We are the people," Göring-Eckardt continued. Among the participants at Pohlandplatz were the federal leader of the SPD, Saskia Esken, Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth (Greens) and Saxony's Minister of Justice Katja Meier (Greens).

Two alliances had called for spontaneous demonstrations in Berlin and Dresden on Sunday following the recent attacks on politicians and campaign workers. The internet portal "Zusammen gegen Rechts" and the alliance "Wir sind die Brandmauer Dresden" published corresponding calls on their Instagram channels. "Violence has no place in our democracy!" they said.