German city hit by far-right violence

CHEMNITZ, Germany: Supporters and opponents of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s liberal immigration policy hold rival demonstrations on Saturday in the city of Chemnitz, where the fatal stabbing of a German man by two migrants sparked violent far-right protests.

More than 1,200 policemen will keep watch over the rallies in the eastern city, where deep divisions over Merkel’s 2015 decision to welcome a million asylum-seekers have flared up since the killing of the 35-year-old man six days ago.

Leftist protesters will start a march under the slogan ‘Heart instead of Hate’ at 1300 GMT in the centre of Chemnitz, which was known as Karl-Marx-Stadt under Communist rule in East Germany as a homage to its industrial past.

Dozens of leftist demonstrators started gathering near a large bust of the father of Communism in the city centre, where only a few days ago far-right demonstrators clashed with police.

Two hours later, supporters of far-right groups, including PEGIDA and Alternative for Germany (AfD), will gather to mourn the man who was stabbed to death.