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Demo canceled on short notice: “side thinkers” and counter-protesters clash
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So far the police have the situation under control
Again there are several demonstrations in Leipzig around the policy of the crown. So far the police have the situation under control, conditions are under control, the water cannons are ready. Leipzig Police Chief Torsten Schultze on the course of the demonstrations in the early afternoon.
In Leipzig, a rally by critics of the crown’s rules was called off on short notice. The reason is an “incomplete mask exemption certificate”. But the participants who had already arrived and their opponents clashed in the city.
northFollowing the cancellation of a rally by critics of Corona’s measures, the situation in Leipzig on Saturday was confusing. In the city center, opposing fields continued to collide, as police announced on Twitter in the afternoon. “Our emergency services separate groups of people,” he said. According to the information, there were also attacks on police forces.
A rally recorded by critics of Corona’s policy was surprisingly canceled on Saturday, although hundreds of people were already there. At the same time, numerous people in the city center participated in counter-protests against the originally planned rally.
The leader of this rally withdrew the record, police said. The antecedent is “the incomplete certificate for the release of the meeting registrant mask, which was not accepted by the meeting authority.” All those who wanted to participate in the Kurt-Masur-Platz meeting were asked to leave the area.
As can be seen from video recordings by WELT reporter Martin Heller, the police fought to separate antifa protesters, right-wing groups, and side thinkers from each other. There were skirmishes. The police use irritating gas. The group on the right was returned to the station.
Leipzig Mayor Burkhard Jung appealed to the people to remain in peace in the face of the Leipzig demonstration. The SPD politician also called the cancellation of the planned demonstration by opponents of the Crown measures a success for the counter-protesters. “One can be rightly proud that more than 1000 people demonstrated peacefully, at a distance and with respiratory protection,” the SPD politician said Saturday afternoon.
The police had previously cordoned off the access because the space with 500 people had reached its maximum capacity. At the same time, numerous people in the city center participated in counter-protests. Meanwhile, there were demonstrations against the Corona measures on Saturday in several other German cities.
Police helicopter circles over Leipzig
A police spokesman in Leipzig said before the rally was canceled that the situation was not easy. We know that there are mobilizations for the respective meetings. The police deployed with a large contingent from various federal states, placing water cannons and cleaning tanks in position. In the early afternoon, a police helicopter also flew over the city. Agents also used barriers to separate the meetings from each other.
Several hundred people gathered at Augustusplatz at noon for counter-protests, initially with music and dancing. The action network “Leipzig takes place” called for demonstrations in three central locations in the city.
Opponents of the crown policy had registered their gathering for 250 participants, under the slogan “Life after the Crown.” A good two hours after the announced start, the plaza filled up and the police blocked the entrance. The police had blocked the square with bars and access was strictly controlled. Only those who wore a mask or could show a certificate were admitted.
Just two weeks ago, a large, sometimes chaotic demonstration of “lateral thinking” in Leipzig sparked anger and heated political debates. At least 20,000 people from all over Germany came to Leipzig to protest against the crown’s restrictions. Hardly anyone adhered to the mask requirement. The city of Leipzig broke up the rally.
After that, people forced to cross the Leipziger ring, which was also forbidden by law. The police tried to stop her but eventually let her go. There were skirmishes at police barriers and pyrotechnics flew.
According to the journalists’ union, journalists were also attacked and prevented from working. The German Association of Journalists in Saxony now welcomed on social media that journalists could take advantage of police protection on Saturday.
Eight events announced in Leipzig
A total of eight meetings were announced at various locations in Leipzig on Saturday, five of them in connection with criticism of Corona’s current policy and counter-protests. Currently, due to the crown situation, only a maximum of 1000 participants per rally is allowed in Saxony.
Opponents of the Crown measures also gathered for demonstrations in Bochum, Göppingen and Pforzheim on Saturday; More protests were planned in Hannover and Berlin. According to the police, there were around 300 people in Bochum at the beginning of the demonstration.
There should be no serious violations of the conditions or problems by the counter-demonstration. According to the police, around 300 people also attended the counter-demonstration.
Also in Göppingen and Pforzheim everything went quietly in the early afternoon, according to the police. According to a dpa photographer, around 800 people gathered in Göppingen, and in Pforzheim the police spoke of around 450 participants.
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