March in Dresden

Thousands protest against right-wing extremists

Counter-demonstrators walk along the edge of a march by right-wing extremists in front of the main railway station.(Bild: APA/dpa/Robert Michael)

Several thousand people protested on Sunday against a march by right-wing extremists to mark the anniversary of the destruction of Dresden in the Second World War, prompting a large-scale police operation. Almost 5,000 people took part in the counter-protest in the pouring rain. Security officers counted almost 1000 participants in the right-wing extremist demonstration.

The route taken by the right-wing extremists on the outskirts of Dresden's city center was hermetically sealed off, reported a dpa reporter. At one point, counter-demonstrators tried to enter the route. The police prevented this. As they announced on X (formerly Twitter), around 150 people were taken into police custody. Identities were established.

The police had set the goal in advance of separating the camps and intervening in the event of possible blockades. They had prepared for a "confrontational assembly situation". According to the Saxon police, they were supported by officers from Thuringia, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Bavaria and Hesse as well as the federal police. A helicopter circled over Dresden and police on horseback were also present.

Counter-demonstrators walk along the edge of a march by right-wing extremists in front of the main railway station.(Bild: APA/dpa/Robert Michael)

The counter-protesters chanted loudly against the right-wing extremist march. According to observations by the dpa reporter, pyrotechnics were occasionally set off. On one occasion, a root was thrown. Three demonstrations had united to form the counter-protest.

Dresden heavily destroyed in World WarII
 Dresden was heavily destroyed in Allied air raids from February 13, 1945. According to research by historians, up to 25,000 people lost their lives. The air raids on the Saxon metropolis, also known as "Florence on the Elbe" because of its magnificent buildings, are considered a stain on the fight against Nazi Germany because they had no military value. The Hitler regime was already on the ground at this time, and capitulated just three months later. Right-wing extremists have been using the commemoration of the destruction of Dresden for years to organize so-called funeral marches.

14 criminal proceedings initiated
By Sunday afternoon, the police had initiated 14 criminal proceedings. According to spokesman Thomas Geithner, five of these were directed against the right-wing camp, the rest against counter-demonstrators. The latter involved, among other things, disguises. According to the police, two participants in the right-wing march were wearing quartz gloves and protector gloves respectively. In an initial summary, Geithner spoke of a peaceful day for Dresden overall.

According to the police, no right-wing march is planned for the actual anniversary of the destruction this Tuesday. There are 25 meetings and nine events registered, including five rallies from the right and the lateral thinker scene, 14 from the left and six from the civic spectrum. Some of these are "placeholders" to occupy locations in Dresden.