German cities witness protests urging to lift sanctions against Russia

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
11 Oct 2022 19:12
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German demonstrators in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern demand the government ensure affordable costs of living and lift sanctions against Russia.

German protesters demand the uplifting of sanctions against Russia

The German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) reported on Tuesday, October 10, about 7,000 protesters who took to the streets in more than 15 cities around the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state of Germany, asking that the government provide an affordable standard of life and stop providing weaponry to Ukraine.

According to DPA, 2,400 protestors in Schwerin and Neubrandenburg urged for peace talks on Ukraine and the suspension of sanctions against Russia.

Demonstrators in Magdeburg held posters calling to "end lies" concerning gas supply and prevent price increases for the sake of peace, freedom, and prosperity, according to the report.

Rallies were also held in the German states of Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Saxony, with around 1,000 protestors rallying in the state with the same demands.

Berlin: "I want Russian gas and oil"

Germany's far-right group, the AfD, gathered in front of Berlin's Reichstag building, on October 8, to protest the rising cost of living in light of soaring energy prices.

The AfD protesters then began to march across the city whose co-leader accused the government of waging a war against the German people by causing an energy crisis through the sanctioning of Russia. The police estimate that about 8,000 participants took part in the rallies.

Although the group encountered several counterdemonstrations on its way, some of the protestors in the AfD rally were seen waving not only German flags but also Russian flags, including the imperial Reichskrieg flag which is used as a far-right symbol.

Tino Chrupalla, the AfD co-leader, demanded that sanctions on Russia be lifted and called for Economy Minister Robert Habeck to resign over his reckless policy which caused him to wage a war on the German population instead of Moscow.

While many were seen chanting "Away with Habeck!" Chrupalla went off on the Minister's Green Party for pushing ahead on the imposing of a cap on gas prices

"The Greens want our country to be poor and weak," he said during the rallies.

"We don't need a cap on gas prices; we have to put a cap on the Greens," he said, adding that "gas price will become normal again when we buy cheap gas from Russia."

Chrupalla noted that purchasing gas from the US and the UAE, as Germany plans to do, is just as morally suspect.

Co-leader, Alice Weidel, was scheduled to deliver a speech, but it was canceled due to illness.