Colorful protests in Heidelberg: young and loud against the AfD!

Colorful protests in Heidelberg: young and loud against the AfD!

In a lively protest action, around 100 mostly young activists gathered on Emmertsgrund on Friday evening to demonstrate against an AfD event. The local AfD member of the Bundestag, Malte Kaufmann, invited people to a “citizens’ dialogue” in the community center, which was promptly met with resistance. The demonstrators welcomed the approximately 60 visitors with loud shouts and slogans such as “There is no right to Nazi propaganda” and “Stop the shift to the right in the Federal Republic of Germany”. They criticized the AfD, which they classified as racist, sexist and neoliberal, and called for international solidarity and a liberal refugee policy. The rally was organized by the Seebrücke group, which had previously invited people to an open anti-fascist meeting. Despite the tense atmosphere, the situation remained calm throughout the event.

The police were heavily present and had a special anti-conflict team on site, but they did not have to intervene. For security, the entrance area of ​​the community center was separated with barriers. These protective measures were not unfounded, because in the 2024 local elections, the AfD achieved its best result to date in this district with over 24 percent. Voter turnout was 41 percent, showing that the issue is making waves at the local level.

Continuity of the protest movement

The demonstration on Emmertsgrund is part of a larger movement that has grown in Germany in recent months. Protests against right-wing extremism and the political shift to the right have taken place in more than 60 cities in recent weeks. A particularly impressive example was the demonstration in Cologne, in which, according to the police, around 40,000 people took to the streets. Organizers themselves estimate that up to 75,000 participants took part to protest under the motto “#5vor12. Loud for democracy”.

The support for such demonstrations is remarkable. Another large-scale demonstration is planned in Berlin under the motto “We stand together,” with up to 10,000 participants expected. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) is also expected here, who will take a stand against the prejudices and the extreme migration policy of the CDU under Friedrich Merz. The protests have spread quickly and show that the issue is touching a nerve right down to the smallest towns and communities.

Breadth of protests and their significance

The Germany editorial network has documented the extent of this wave of protests in comprehensive documentation. There have been over 1,157 demonstrations recently, with an estimated 4.0% of the German population taking part. This represents one of the largest demonstration movements in German history. Particularly striking is the day of remembrance on January 27th, which traditionally mobilizes many people.

The truth is that the protests against the shift to the right in Germany are far from over. With over 170 events planned over the coming weeks, social discourse remains lively and dynamic. The issues are explosive, and the commitment of the people shows that many are ready to take to the streets for their convictions and to work for a fairer, more solidarity-based society.

The developments on Emmertsgrund and in many other cities show once again that citizens are not prepared to accept the increase in extremism and intolerance. It remains to be seen how this protest movement will develop further.