The Limited Times

Hannover: Prime Minister Weil calls for NPD demo counter-protest

11/23/2019, 10:58:59 AM


After an urgent decision, NPD supporters may gather in Hannover. The police, however, want to restrict speeches. Niedersachsen head of government Weil hopes for many counter-demonstrators.


With a demo, the NPD wants to turn against today's Saturday in Hannover against critical journalists. The police department had tried to ban the event. However, the Higher Administrative Court (OVG) Lüneburg decided differently and allowed the demo. The decision was incontestable, said a police spokeswoman for the news agency dpa. However, the assembly authority limited parts of the demo.

A speaker was any speech in connection with the Assembly have been prohibited, the police said. Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) called via Twitter to participate in rallies against the NPD demonstration.

(3/4) I hope those who peacefully take to the streets for critical #Journalism, public service broadcasting and #press freedom under the slogan "colorful instead of brown" will be clear: we are more ! ... # H2311 #we are more

- MP Stephan Weil (@MpStephanWeil) November 23, 2019

Around 2,000 people want to protest against the rally in Hanover for press freedom and against the threat to journalists (read more here). Lower Saxony's Interior Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) and Hannovers new Lord Mayor Belit Onay (Greens) should also speak at the rally of the coalition "bunt statt Braun" in the afternoon.

The police department Hannover had initially banned the NPD demo with expected 100 participants, with reference to an immediate threat to public safety. The NPD lawsuit, on the other hand, was successful. The Hanover Administrative Court ruled that a total ban on the demo was not proportionate. The Higher Administrative Court in Lüneburg confirmed this decision on Friday evening.