Germans rally, demand AfD ban over extremism concerns
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Over 7,000 protest in Berlin and 60 cities across Germany, demanding a ban on the far-right AfD party and action against right-wing extremism.
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AfD leader Alice Weidel gestures in the German federal parliament, Bundestag, at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP)
A large demonstration took place in central Berlin on Sunday against right-wing extremism and in support of banning the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, according to a RIA Novosti correspondent.
Organizers estimated that over 7,000 people joined the protest, which was led by the initiatives "Together against the right" and "Defend human dignity."
"There are no more excuses, we demand an immediate ban on the AfD," one speaker told the crowd.
▶️ A mass demonstration against the right-wing forces and Alternative for #Germany (AfD) is taking place in #Berlin, a TASS correspondent reports
— Uncensored News (@Uncensorednewsw) May 11, 2025
Initially, the organizers said that 5,000 people would take part in the demonstration. Berlin's police confirmed 4,000 participants… pic.twitter.com/zf9TdcFkfM
Similar protests were held in over 60 cities across Germany on Sunday, all calling for a ban on the AfD and a stronger stance against what they described as far-right extremism.
Earlier in May, Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) classified the AfD as a right-wing extremist party. However, after a lawsuit filed by the party, the classification was temporarily revoked pending trial.
AfD promotes exclusionary policies
The BfV had reportedly based its classification on a report asserting that the AfD promotes exclusionary policies targeting migrants, particularly Muslims, and uses inflammatory language such as “knife-wielding migrants” to link violence with non-European ethnic groups.
That said, while the suspension of the AfD's extremist classification halts expanded surveillance, Germany’s BfV will continue monitoring the party as a “suspected case”, allowing limited surveillance under tighter judicial oversight.
AfD co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla welcomed the court-ordered suspension of the party's extremist classification, calling it "a first important step" toward clearing the party’s name, describing the original designation as a "severe blow to German democracy," and arguing that the intelligence agency’s actions were politically motivated attempts to undermine their electoral legitimacy.
Had the designation remained in place, the BfV would have been empowered to deploy expansive surveillance measures, including informants and electronic monitoring, against the party. While the AfD is still classified as a "suspected case," the current status allows limited oversight under tighter judicial constraints.
