The far-right Alternative for Germany party has opened a convention after a strong performance in the recent European election, as opponents held large-scale protests and some demonstrators tried to block roads or clashed with police.
Alternative for Germany, or AfD, took 15.9% of the vote to finish second in the European Parliament election on June 9, despite a series of scandals and setbacks in recent months.
A particularly strong showing in the formerly communist east has bolstered its hopes of emerging as the strongest party in three state elections in that region in September.
At the regular two-day convention in the western city of Essen, co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla were re-elected unopposed to new two-year terms.
They were backed by 79.8% and 82.7% of delegates respectively – a display of harmony by the party’s often-argumentative standards.
Ms Weidel vowed to work to “tear down the unspeakable so-called firewalls” that other parties have set up against working with AfD.
A heavy police presence was in place in the city, where local authorities had tried to find a way to prevent the AfD event but lost their case in court.
Regional authorities estimated that about 20,000 people took part in a march as the meeting took place, German news agency dpa reported, while thousands attended other protest events.
Early Saturday morning, a group of demonstrators tried to get through a barrier and were pushed back by police using pepper spray and batons. There were also incidents in which masked demonstrators attacked officers, according to police, who reported “several” arrests.
Protesters staged sit-ins on streets and crossings near the convention hall.
Several AfD politicians said they had been picked up by police from their hotel and escorted to the venue, while other delegates were able to walk there without problems, dpa reported.
Ms Weidel told delegates as she opened the meeting that “what is going on out there has nothing to do with democracy” and vowed that “we are here and we will stay”.
AfD’s recent setbacks included the party sidelining its top two candidates from the election campaign due to scandals and being kicked out of its hard-right group in the European Parliament.
Mr Chrupalla said that “we could have taken 20%” in the European vote and complained that reporting on the two candidates was “unfair and disproportionate”. But he also acknowledged that “with careless and unprofessional behaviour, some have unnecessarily offered room for attack”.
“That way, we take two steps forward and one step back, but in the future we must take three steps forward,” he added, arguing that the party needs to take a closer look at its candidates.
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