Another demonstration against AfD and right-wing extremism in Saxony

People have once again demonstrated against right-wing extremism in several Saxon cities. In Bautzen, for example, around 1,500 people attended a rally on the main market square on Saturday, followed by a parade, according to the police. Under the title "Protect democracy - fight AfD & right-wing networks", a rally with around 1000 participants is planned for Sunday afternoon in Zwickau on the market square.

"The commitment and clear advocacy of so many different people and groups for our free and democratic basic order gives me confidence," said the Bishop of the Diocese of Dresden-Meißen, Heinrich Timmerevers, to the German Press Agency. "It strengthens my conviction that there is a broad social consensus that we as a community are not prepared to abandon. Let's look at what unites us!"

In addition to the demonstrations, the bishop emphasized the need for a dialogue on how we want to tackle the challenges and issues of our time. "I hope that the current demonstrations will give rise to more courage and willingness to engage in open and peaceful discussion."

"Today, we are not only raising our voices against the inhumane deportation plans of right-wing extremists," said Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) at the rally in Bautzen, according to his ministry. "We are also saying a loud and clear 'no' to a reign of injustice and chaos." Of course, different positions on the current migration situation are being debated. "The fact that so many in our society are publicly rejecting the extremist plans to ship millions of people to Africa is a very special constitutional protection."

For around two weeks, hundreds of thousands of people across Germany have been demonstrating against right-wing extremism and the AfD. The protests were triggered by revelations from the Correctiv research center about a meeting of radical right-wingers on 25 November, which was attended by some AfD politicians as well as individual members of the CDU and the very conservative Werteunion in Potsdam. The former head of the far-right Identitarian movement in Austria, Martin Sellner, spoke about "remigration" at the meeting, according to his own statements. When right-wing extremists use the term, they usually mean that a large number of people of foreign origin should leave the country - even under duress.