250 people demonstrate against neo-Nazi march in Aachen!

250 people demonstrate against neo-Nazi march in Aachen!

One year after a right-wing extremist march on January 18, 2025, around 250 people demonstrated in Aachen last Sunday to commemorate the events and take a stand against fascism. The protest was organized by anti-fascist and radical left-wing groups whose motto was: “Think – act – live anti-fascist” ( aachen.t-online.de ).

The demonstration began early in the evening at 4 p.m. at Rothe Erde train station. The participants were outraged that the police had approved the march of around 150 right-wing extremists and referred to the massive counter-protests. One speaker sharply criticized the police actions and declared that the police had “cleared the way through Aachen for the Nazis.” These words echo not only in Aachen, but also in other cities where similar tensions and protests are taking place, such as in Marzahn-Hellersdorf, where a neo-Nazi march recently took place ( taz.de ).

The mood at the demonstration

Pyrotechnics such as flares and smoke cartridges were also ignited at the Aachen demonstration. The support for the event was visibly strong, which was also reflected in the creative forms of protest. Participants threw Christmas tree balls filled with red and black paint against the building where the police and public order office had a contact point. On the roof of the sound bridge, sympathizers unfurled a banner, while in the back part of the demonstration often only music was heard ( aachen.t-online.de ).

A co-organizer, Paul, spoke in his speech about the increasing repression against anti-fascists and criticized an increasingly authoritarian state. His statements also referred to investigations against left-wing radical groups in cities such as Düsseldorf, Dresden and Budapest. This illustrates not only the local but also the European dimension of anti-fascist struggles.

Antifascist mobilization in other cities

A look at protests taking place at the same time shows that the fight against neo-Nazis is not an isolated issue in Aachen. On the same weekend, an anti-fascist demonstration with around 1,500 participants took place in Marzahn-Hellersdorf under the motto “Let patriarchy die – fight anti-fascist”. This high number of participants was a direct reaction to an announced march by neo-Nazis, which is also an important topic in the current political discussion ( taz.de ).

Against the background of these nationwide mobilizations, one could say: There is really something going on here. At a time when society is polarized and extremist ideas are being expressed more and more openly, such demonstrations are not only important but necessary. Resistance to right-wing tendencies must always be kept alive, whether in Aachen, Marzahn or elsewhere.