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There were police helicopters on the scene, water cannons at the ready, but their use was not necessary: the feared riots in central Leipzig by opponents of the crown measures did not take place on Saturday afternoon. According to the Leipzig police, the city was very quiet.
The organizers of the “lateral thinking” movement had not registered its manifestation in due time and therefore received no approval. The city of Leipzig banned previously unannounced rally gatherings for the entire city area.
According to the police, a bus with protesters was stopped on the way to Leipzig. Complaints were filed against the driver and 30 inmates. In addition, the owner of a Vogtland bus company had spoken of the threats beforehand.
In Leipzig city center, there were probably only a few dozen skeptics of the Crown’s measures in place. Police spokesman Olaf Hoppe told SPIEGEL that by the end of the afternoon around 70 administrative infractions had been punished, mainly due to the lack of protection for the mouth and nose. In several sets of telegrams, opponents of the measures called alternative meeting points outside the city center and in the neighboring town of Markkleeberg, but these were checked and turned out to be false information, as police spokesman Hoppe said. Also in Dresden and Berlin, where rallies were also planned, things apparently remained quiet at first.
“You can announce a ban, but then you have to enforce it”
According to police spokesman Hoppe, more than 2,000 officers from six federal states and the federal police were on duty in Leipzig. When asked about the proportionality of these numbers, he said: “You can announce a ban, but then you have to enforce it. But that also means you have to be in place with the right staff. “
The counter-demonstrations, which were organized by the satirical party “The Party”, among others, took place in Leipzig in compliance with hygiene regulations, with a small turnout.
Leipzig made headlines across the country on November 7 after a demonstration of “lateral thinking” spiraled out of control. Around 20,000 people protested peacefully, but did not comply with the applicable hygiene requirements for crown prevention. The city of Leipzig broke up the protest because many participants did not cover their mouth and nose and did not keep the minimum distance. Thousands resisted and marched through the inner ring of the city. Later, the security forces were accused of failure.
It was difficult to estimate how many people are actually moving to Leipzig, said police spokesman Hoppe. This time, however, due to the general situation, there was a different legal situation and therefore clearer prohibitions.
