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AfD demo against energy policy: "Not the gas price, but the Greens brake"
Photo: IMAGO/xcitepress/Finn Becker / IMAGO/xcitepress
At a demonstration in front of the Reichstag building, AfD federal chairman Tino Chrupalla spoke out against a gas price brake and for the lifting of sanctions against Russia.
"Stop this policy of sanctions," he demanded on Saturday afternoon.
"We don't have to slow down the price of gas, we have to slow down the Greens," said the AfD politician.
"The gas price will return to normal if we get cheap gas from Russia." The Greens wanted "our country to become poor and weak," said Chrupalla to applause from the audience.
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck had "declared economic war on Russia," said the AfD boss.
In reality, Habeck is waging this war against the population.
Habeck had to go, Chrupalla demanded, whereupon numerous listeners chanted "Habeck away!"
According to the police, around 3,000 people took part in the opening rally.
The AfD had called for the demonstration nationwide under the motto "Energy security and protection against inflation - our country first".
The AfD national chairman Alice Weidel was also scheduled to speak, but she canceled at short notice due to illness.
Reich and Russian flags next to black, red and gold
After the opening rally at the Republic Square, the participants started a demonstration through Berlin-Mitte.
Around 8,000 demonstrators took part in the protest march.
Many of the participants waved German flags, chanted "We are the people" in reference to the Monday demonstrations in the GDR or sang the national anthem.
Russian flags were occasionally seen, and the black, white and red Reich flag, which is a symbol of right-wing extremists, was shown contrary to official instructions.
In the drizzle of the capital, umbrellas were also part of the equipment of many demonstrators.
Counter-demonstrations smaller than expected
There were counter-demonstrations in several places.
Among other things, the initiative "Stand up against racism" and the alliance for a cosmopolitan and tolerant Berlin had called for protests against the AfD.
The organizers had accused the AfD of wanting to exploit the rising costs of food and energy for their purposes.
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Confetti cannon shoots shredded AfD flyers out of a window
Photo: Fabian Sommer / dpa
The total of ten registered counter-demonstrations, including a protest rave by the Berlin club scene and a bicycle demonstration, were smaller than expected with a total of 1400 participants.
The police had expected 2,500 AfD critics for the largest single action.
Around 400 opponents of the right took part in a rally near the AfD event in front of the Reichstag.
feb/dpa/AFP
