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Police officers repeatedly had to separate demonstrators from both camps
Photo: HANNIBAL HANSCHKE / REUTERS
The protest march against the anti-corona measures by the federal and state governments will begin around 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
But this time it's going differently than two weeks ago, when a large rally of so-called lateral thinkers got out of hand.
There are only 200 to 300 demonstrators initially who set off from the entrance of the Nikolaikirche in the direction of the Leipziger Markt.
One of their signs reads "Good News, Jesus Lives".
At first they seem a little disoriented on the market, but their destination is clearly the Leipziger Ring.
A little later there is the first encounter with counter-demonstrators.
There are arguments.
The police seem unprepared.
She hastily pulls chains between the camps.
It's not the last time she frantically steps in.
But there is no real chaos.
A mask exemption certificate slows the protest
The only registered protest event against the Corona Protection Ordinance of the day should actually start on Kurt-Masur-Platz.
It is designed for 250 to 500 people, but must not even begin because the applicant's incomplete mask exemption certificate is not accepted by the assembly authorities.
Many of those who have come to Kurt-Masur-Platz join the group from the Nikolaikirche.
In the meantime, the train has grown to around 800 to 1000 people.
At the market square they hit the police with a feint and try to get to the ring via the barefoot alley.
But they are finally surrounded in Grosse Fleischergasse.
They can't get any further today.
The police have asked them to break up the meeting and announced that they will investigate the personal details of those who do not leave voluntarily.
The mood is now aggressive.
There is also an attempt to break the chain.
According to the dpa, the police are using pepper spray.
Finally, she prepares small groups of migrants the way to the S-Bahn station on the market, as there were gatherings of counter-protestors in the adjacent streets, as a police spokesman says.
There are also fights on the market.
But there is no triumphal procession by the demonstrators.
Lord Mayor Jung: "Cat and Mouse Game"
The conclusion: Once again, a broad spectrum of critics of the government's corona protective measures, conspiracy believers and right-wing extremists tried to use the memory of the Peaceful Revolution of 1989 for their own purposes.
There were several violent clashes with the police and, to a lesser extent, against journalists, but also between the demonstrators and counter-demonstrators.
Around 100 right-wing extremists attacked the police with stones at the main train station during the day.
Nevertheless, she assumes that her deployment concept has paid off.
Leipzig's Lord Mayor Burkhard Jung (SPD) speaks of a "cat and mouse game", but at the same time of a completely different situation than two weeks ago, and of a well-coordinated strategy between the police and the assembly authorities.
He also has praise for the counter-demonstrators on Augustusplatz: "One can be justifiably proud that more than 1,000 people demonstrated peacefully, at a distance and with breathing protection," said Jung.
with material from dpa
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