Thousands march in Germany against the far right

BERLIN: Thousands of people protested against the far right across Germany on Sunday, as the AfD party appeals a decision to label it an “extremist” group.

Germany´s domestic intelligence service last week labelled the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party a “right-wing extremist” group, accusing it of seeking to undermine the country´s democracy. It suspended the classification while AfD´s appeal of the measure moves through the courts.

On Sunday anti-AfD demonstrators marched in 60 localities across Germany, following a call by the “Together against the Right” group. In Berlin 3,000 protesters gathered in front of the famed Brandenburg gate, according to the police. Organisers put the turnout at 7,000.

“Together against fascism,” they chanted. “AfD is not a normal party and should not be treated as such,” the organiser group said on its website. “It is now time to seriously examine banning the party.”

The AfD however has been growing in popularity. In February´s elections it came second only to the new Chancellor Friedrich Merz´s conservatives.