Huge corona demo in Leipzig: after the night of the riot - the police chief defends the officials' actions

On Saturday (November 7th) meetings against the corona measures took place in Leipzig.

After the police was disbanded, there were repeated clashes.

• On Saturday there was a big demo of the initiative

  "lateral thinking"

  against the corona measures in

  Leipzig

  .

• 20,000 people appeared.

  The

  police in Saxony

  received support from the federal police and the

  riot

  police from eight other federal states.

  (see first report)

• Right and left groups

  clashed.

  The

  police

  intervened.

  (see update from November 7th, 3:50 p.m.).

  Then the demo was declared over by the police

  (see update from November 7th, 4:08 pm)

  .

• After the

  dissolution of the demonstration

  , there were numerous clashes with the police

  (update from November 7th, 8:12 p.m.)

Update from November 8, 10:34 a.m.:

After the

in

, has

the Leipzig

defended the police action.

In a video statement, he explained that the mission had three goals:

• Guaranteeing a peaceful course

• The prevention of possible acts of violence

• The enforcement of infection protection

The first two goals were largely achieved, the third goal not.

According to the authorities, at least

on Saturday

.

According to the police, 90 percent

.

Although the

was declared dissolved shortly before 4 p.m. due to violations of the requirements, the crowds simply stopped in the city center and demanded a train around the symbolic

.

However, according to the

elevators are

currently not permitted.

Nevertheless, the

forced a

tour of the ring.

There was a lot of pressure at the police barrier, said Schultze.

Using violence was "not indicated".

"You don't fight a pandemic with police means, but only with the common sense of the people," said the police chief.

Huge corona demo today in Leipzig: Police dissolve the event - massive riots into the night

Update from November 7th, 11:08 pm:

In the Leipzig district of Connewitz, the

.

The police see themselves confronted with

of barricades that were laid by demonstrators, said a spokeswoman for the Leipzig police on Saturday evening.

The police used

, but not against the demonstrators, but to put out the fires.

The fire brigade had to withdraw because the situation had become too dangerous for them.

The spokeswoman could not specify how many demonstrators were there.

The police had previously announced that three officers

had been injured

by

that evening

.

are also said to have

been damaged.

The stones and pyrotechnics were

thrown

from the ranks of a

that had formed in connection with the arrest of a suspected left-wing extremist.

Update from November 7th, 8:12 pm:

After the

the afternoon, there were probably several riots in

.

Demonstrators on Augustusplatz are said to

have detonated

and

.

At the main station,

are said to have

encountered

.

There were several minor brawls.

However, the emergency services were able to resolve the conflict quickly.

The

wrote on Twitter that officials were also attacked by the demonstrators.

But one will act consistently against the

, it continues.

There were numerous attacks on emergency services at the barriers.

A barrier was opened in the area of ​​the main train station in #Leipzig.

Participants in the former assembly run an elevator that has been classified as prohibited by the assembly authorities.

# le0711

- Police Saxony (@PolizeiSachsen) November 7, 2020

The German Union of Journalists (DJU) says that

at least

physically attacked

during the

.

According

to the state manager of the DJU Berlin-Brandenburg, Jörg Reichel, the

attacks were essentially

initiated

by participants in the

.

"Our fears that the

again lead to hostility and threats of violence against journalists have unfortunately come true," said Tina Groll, chairwoman of the DJU.

The

unable to make any statements about the attacks.

However, it cannot be ruled out that there were also attacks on representatives of the

in the numerous attacks

, said a police spokesman. 

Update from November 7th, 6:16 p.m

.: Police work is visible, police chief inspector Olaf Hoppe on Twitter.

He continues to hope for a peaceful evening:

The police spokesman of the Police Directorate #Leipzig, Police Chief Inspector Olaf Hoppe, in a short statement on the incident so far.

# le0711 pic.twitter.com/UstNFfrXs3

- Police Saxony (@PolizeiSachsen) November 7, 2020

Update from November 7th, 5.10 p.m

.: Worrying pictures from Leipzig:

The police have formed a chain on the ring to stop the move.

Here, too, a very heated mood.

# le0711 pic.twitter.com/3vziqMt75z

- julius geiler (@glr_berlin) November 7, 2020

Observers in social media report that the situation is now said to have become confusing.

At the main train station, where many of the demonstrators are currently leaving, the situation is difficult for the police to control.

In side streets, groups known as "Antifa" are said to try to stop the march of demonstrators, which has started moving despite the ban.

Several groups of hooligans and neo-Nazis are said to be roaming the city.

Update from November 7, 4:27 p.m.:

While the police asked the demonstrators via Twitter to leave the premises, according to witnesses, the march still started to move:

Despite the ban on the ring, the demo train started moving.

The police watch helplessly.

# le0711 pic.twitter.com/dYNXobMg5b

- julius geiler (@glr_berlin) November 7, 2020

In addition, groups of neo-Nazis who are also not accompanied by the police are said to be on the side streets:

Hundreds of neo-Nazis unaccompanied by the police in the back streets.

# le0711 pic.twitter.com/HL6UpvyhId

- julius geiler (@glr_berlin) November 7, 2020

Update from November 7th, 4:08 pm

: The police have now declared the “lateral thinking demo” on Leipzig's Augustusplatz to be over because of the violations of the Corona requirements.

The city of Leipzig writes on Twitter:

Because of violations of the conditions, the city, as the assembly authority, ended demo # le0711 on Augustusplatz.

- City of Leipzig (@StadtLeipzig) November 7, 2020

Update from November 7th, 3:50 p.m.:

The situation during the anti-corona demo in Leipzig seems to be getting worse.

In addition to supporters of the Stuttgart initiative “Querdenker”, which organized the demo, numerous right-wing extremists also take part in the meeting.

This is what

reports

in relation to reporters on site.

NPD members who had traveled to Leizipg from Thuringia, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony were also spotted.

The situation is tricky because, in addition to the actual demo, there are also many counter-demonstrators from the left-wing milieu in downtown Leipzig.

Twitter videos from local reporters capture the heated mood.

The Saxony police also reported verbal and physical confrontations in which the officers intervened.

Individual bottle dignity on the part of the "lateral thinkers" in the direction of counter-demonstration.

Police with a chain in between.

# le0711 pic.twitter.com/r9H4RMCipr

- julius geiler (@glr_berlin) November 7, 2020

According to local reporters, there are

and

as well as supporters of

and the

in

.

Kick from the right.

# Corona protesters vs.

#Antifa.

Police intervene.

# Leipzig0711 # le0711 #leipzig @welt pic.twitter.com/Z6aZJnrUsz

- Martin Heller (@Ma_Heller) November 7, 2020

Corona demo in Leipzig: meeting briefly interrupted

According to

, the rally had to be interrupted in between because the

rules

and the

requirement had not been observed.

As a result, the gathering was expanded to include the inner-city cattle and the adjacent streets.

Huge corona demo today in Leipzig: "lateral thinkers" protest - police: "control almost impossible"

Update from November 7th, 1:58 p.m.:

The

against the

started at 1 p.m.

Several

are currently expected to take part in the event.

Very few wore a mask or could keep the minimum distance of one and a half meters.

The space between the Gewandhaus and the Leipzig Opera was packed.

said the spokesman for the Leipzig Police Department, Olaf Hoppe.

“At several points around the meeting in Leipzig we acoustically and visually indicate compliance with the requirements.

must be observed.

It's a

wear, "the police twitter Saxony.

The requirements of the Infection Protection Act must be complied with so that the meeting can take place.

In the past, officials broke up demonstrations in several cities because the rules had been violated.

At several points around the assembly in #Leipzig we acoustically and visually indicate compliance with the requirements.

Minimum distances must be observed.

Mouth and nose protection must be worn.

# le0711 pic.twitter.com/00syWpu6UC

- Police Saxony (@PolizeiSachsen) November 7, 2020

Update from November 7th, 12:18 pm:

So far, the situation in downtown Leipzig seems to be relaxed.

There are only temporary road closures, the

on Twitter.

"We therefore recommend to drive around the city, especially the inner city area."

Due to the numerous gatherings in #Leipzig, there are always temporary road closures.

We therefore recommend that you drive around the city, especially the inner city area.

You can find the latest information on # public transport at @LVB_direkt.

# le0711

- Police Saxony (@PolizeiSachsen) November 7, 2020

In addition, the officials report on "preliminary checks of the arrival traffic".

Control

posts have been set up

in and around

.

“The primary goal is

to ensure protection

and to

” it says on Twitter.

Huge corona demo today in Leipzig: 16,000 “lateral thinkers” protest against the rules

First report from November 7th, 10:25 am:

Leipzig - The “lateral thinking” initiative is now allowed to

demonstrate against the Corona * measures in

.

The Bautzen Higher Administrative Court decided that the demonstration with 16,000 people may take place on Augustusplatz, the city announced on Saturday morning.

On Friday evening, the administrative court first confirmed the city's requirements in an urgent procedure.

The city wanted to move the rally to the parking lots of the New Fair outside the city center.

OVG Bautzen overturns the decision of the VG Leipzig: the demo # le0711 can take place with 16,000 participants on Augustusplatz.

- City of Leipzig (@StadtLeipzig) November 7, 2020

A total of 27 demonstrations, meetings and rallies have been

announced

for Saturday (1 p.m.) in

.

According to their own statements, the police are preparing for a “very intensive operation because a certain potential for radicalization is recognizable on all sides”.

The Leipzig police are supported by the Saxon riot police, emergency services from eight federal states as well as the federal police and the state criminal investigation office.

Already on Friday evening there was a left demonstration against the gathering of "lateral thinking".

Corona demo Leipzig: According to the OVG, “lateral thinking” is allowed to demonstrate in the city of Leipzig

On Saturday, the

by the Saxon

police, emergency services from eight federal states as well as the federal police and the state criminal investigation office.

"We will also have helicopters and loudspeaker vans in use," explained the head of operations at the Leipzig Police Department, Frank Gurke.

+

On Saturday (November 7th) a demonstration of “lateral thinking” is to take place in Leipzig.

The night before, left-wing demonstrators protested the rally.

© Sebastian Willnow / dpa-Zentralbild / dpa

The

emphasized that there were calls for violence on social networks from both right and left-wing extremist camps.

“However, we have no specific information on acts of violence.” Nevertheless, it was recommended to Leipzigers

to avoid the city center on Saturday,

taking into account the

and due to the large number of participants.