Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party launched its new youth organisation this Saturday, an event overshadowed by massive protests that saw tens of thousands of demonstrators descend on the western city of Giessen.
Chaos and Clashes in Giessen
The founding convention for the new group, named Generation Germany, began over two hours late after activists blocked roads into the city, delaying the arrival of many delegates. Police reported that up to 5,000 officers were deployed to manage the situation, estimating that more than 25,000 protesters had gathered, with authorities noting that much of the protest remained peaceful.
Dramatic scenes unfolded as some protesters clashed with police. Officers were forced to use pepper spray after stones were thrown at them in one location. Police also deployed water cannons to clear a blockade of approximately 2,000 protesters who had ignored calls to disperse. The water cannons were used again in the afternoon when a group attempted to break through barriers around the city's convention centre. Ten officers were reported slightly injured.
AfD Leaders Condemn 'Undemocratic' Protests
As the convention finally opened, AfD leaders strongly condemned the demonstrations. Party co-leader Alice Weidel addressed the crowd, stating, 'What is being done out there - dear left-wingers, dear extremists, you need to look at yourselves - is something that is deeply undemocratic.'
Weidel also claimed that one AfD lawmaker had been attacked, a statement that police confirmed, noting an incident near Giessen where a lawmaker was injured, though no further details were provided.
A New Chapter for AfD's Youth
The new youth organisation, Generation Germany, replaces the Young Alternative, which was formally dissolved in March after the AfD cut ties with it. The previous group was largely autonomous and had been designated a proven right-wing extremist group by Germany's domestic intelligence agency. A Cologne court ruling found that the Young Alternative promoted preserving an 'ethnically defined German people' and excluding the 'ethnically foreign'.
The party says it wants much tighter oversight of the new body, which will be open to all AfD members under the age of 36. Its statute was approved on Saturday, and Jean-Pascal Hohm, a 28-year-old state lawmaker from Brandenburg, was elected unopposed as its leader. Hohm, who is himself classified as a right-wing extremist by Brandenburg's intelligence office, told delegates he had been the 'proud chairman' of the Young Alternative in his state.
AfD's other co-leader, Tino Chrupalla, told delegates the party must learn from past mistakes, stating, 'We should have taken more care of the young new hopes in our party; it will be different in future.' He added that young activists must 'put themselves at the party's service'.
The launch comes as the AfD finished second in Germany's national election in February with more than 20 per cent of the vote, making it the largest opposition party. With mainstream parties refusing to work with it, the AfD has continued to rise in opinion polls, capitalising on public frustration over issues like migration.
