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Less than 24 hours have passed since the end of the “lateral thinking” demonstration in Leipzig, when several leading politicians have already commented on the chaotic day of the demonstration in the Saxon city. Left-wing president Katja Kipping criticized the police, the vice president of the Union parliamentary group Thorsten Frei at the Higher Administrative Court of Saxony, the leader of the Green party Robert Habeck, among other things, the Saxon Ministry of the Interior.
Its boss, Roland Wöller, and the Prime Minister of Saxony, Michael Kretschmer (both CDU), commented on the event at a press conference. “None of us,” Kretschmer said, “understand this kind of demonstration.” Therefore, it will be discussed in the coming days “what options we have to guarantee the protection of the population”, for example, by tightening the Crown Protection Ordinance.
On Saturday, a large-scale demonstration by the “lateral thinking” alliance against German policy against the pandemic in Leipzig spiraled out of control. After a court approved the stationary demonstration in the center of the city, thousands of people ran through the streets despite the ban, and there were attacks on policemen and journalists, among others. Most of the participants did not wear protective masks and did not maintain minimum distances, although this was mandatory.
“The largest infection party with more than 20,000 participants”
Kretschmer has now spoken diplomatically, but clearly: of course, an ambulance and a hospital bed will be provided to each person who is infected with the corona virus in such a demonstration, Kretschmer said. However, these places were missing for other people. “The danger is real,” he warned: “The number of patients in intensive care units is increasing.”
Interior Minister Wöller also harshly criticized the protesters’ behavior, saying that the demonstration had sent a “fatal signal”. He also criticized the judiciary: with its permission for the demonstration in the city center, the Higher Administrative Court of Saxony had “approved the largest infection party with more than 20,000 participants”.
Wöller, however, defended the criticized police strategy. The passive behavior of the approximately 2,700 police officers ensured a predominantly peaceful demonstration and prevented violent clashes. “Now accusing the police of having failed is irrelevant.”
Since there were no disturbances in the recorded manifestation of “lateral thinking”, the “use of coercion against the elderly or water cannons against children” would not have been an option.
Wöller did not go into the fact that, apart from the demonstration of “lateral thinking” and especially after its resolution, scenes of violence and chaos did occur. The police always seemed overwhelmed, the units were literally invaded several times. There were several arrests during the day.
Wöller announced that the legal and interior committee of the state parliament would soon take up the events in Leipzig. The police operation is critically evaluated.
