A large demonstration on Saturday, involving numerous activists from the radical group Antifa—an organization labeled a domestic terrorist entity by then-President Donald Trump—caused a postponement in the opening of a conference for Generation Deutschland, the youth wing of Germany’s right-wing populist party, Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Approximately 25,000 to 30,000 demonstrators gathered in Giessen, a city in central Germany, to protest the AfD youth convention. This massive turnout led to the deployment of 6,000 police officers, marking the largest police operation in the state of Hesse’s history.
Inside the city’s convention center, AfD co-leader Alice Weidel sharply criticized the protesters, stating, “What is being done out there – dear left-wingers, dear extremists, you need to look at yourselves – is something that is deeply undemocratic.”
Police reported, as conveyed by the Associated Press, that officers deployed pepper spray after being targeted with stones in one area. Water cannons were also used to disperse a blockade formed by approximately 2,000 protesters who disregarded orders to leave. Later on Saturday afternoon, water cannons were used again when a group attempted to breach barriers leading to the city’s convention center. Up to 6,000 officers were deployed, with 10 to 15 sustaining minor injuries.
Richard Grenell, who served as the U.S. ambassador to Germany during the first Trump administration, posted a warning on X concerning the risks posed by the anti-democratic left in Germany. He stated: “The intolerant and violent Left is gaining ground in Germany. If they follow the U.S. left then they will promote deadly violence while also losing public support — and elections. But they won’t see the errors of their ways because the German left gets lots of support from the media in Germany. It’s publicly funded, too. The conservative media is small and timid — but growing fast.”
Boris Rhein, the Christian Democratic Union governor for the state of Hesse, condemned both the assaults on police and the effort to disrupt the AfD youth gathering. Rhein asserted, “The use of violence and attempts to prevent assemblies through marches can never be democratic means.”
In February, the AfD achieved a notable election outcome, securing 20.8% of the vote and finishing in second place. Despite this, mainstream German parties declined to form a coalition with the AfD, citing its perceived extremist views.
Jean-Pascal Hohm, 28, was elected chairman of the AfD’s youth division. As reported by the German newspaper Die Welt, a local intelligence document quoted Hohm expressing anti-immigrant and nationalist sentiments. At the conference’s outset, Hohm declared, “We will fight resolutely for a genuine shift in migration policy that ensures Germany remains the homeland of Germans.”
The creation of Generation Deutschland unfolded after Germany’s federal intelligence agency classified the previous AfD youth chapter, Young Alternative, with a specific designation in 2023, leading to its dissolution.
The AfD presents itself as an anti-establishment entity amid widespread political distrust. The party gained its first seats in the national parliament in 2017, spurred by the influx of numerous migrants in the mid-2010s. While restricting migration remains its core platform, the AfD has also demonstrated an ability to leverage public dissatisfaction on various other issues. This adaptability was evident in the confident demeanor of its leaders on Saturday.