German police say 50 officers have been wounded after violent rioting erupted in Leipzig at the weekend. The officers were injured when some 1,500 people took part in ‘Day X’ on Saturday, a protest organised by the far left following the recent conviction of extremist activist ‘Lina E’.
The violence came following the conviction of ‘Lina E’ and her accomplices, who were jailed for carrying out “commando-style” attacks on neo-Nazis as well the German police and an uninvolved member of the public.
‘Day X’ rioters threw stones, bottles and fireworks at police and set fire to barricades. Silvio Bürger, a photographer for Bild newspaper, was attacked and beaten during the protest.
Law enforcement officers used water cannons to “to stabilise the situation,” police said. They also used tear gas to disperse the crowds.
The protest, which began peacefully, came about despite it having been banned by Leipzig officials who feared riots would break out, risking public safety.
Separate “violent” outbreaks were also reported in different parts of the city, and were especially bad in the notorious Connewitz district, police said, adding that “emergency force officers were attacked. Hundreds of police units are on standby and are preparing for a violent course in this phase of the operation”.
Plötzlich stürmt Polizei aus dem Park, noch bevor es zu Festnahmen kommt, sind alle Vermummten in verschiedene Richtungen weg. So geht das seit 2-3 Stunden in den engen Gassen von Connewitz. #le0306 pic.twitter.com/ZjC8R9nXis
— Jan A. Karon (@jannibal_) June 3, 2023
Federal Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser, of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), condemned the “senseless violence by left-wing extremist mayhem and rioters”, calling on those responsible to be held to account: “Anyone who throws stones, bottles and firebombs at police officers must be held responsible.
“The security authorities of the federal and state governments will continue to closely monitor the violent left-wing extremist scene in the coming days and weeks and consistently intervene when criminal and violent acts occur,” she said.
Leipzig police chief, René Demmler, told reporters there had been “a lot of senseless, extreme violence”, which had meant police had to deal with the situation “by force”. However, he said officers had largely managed to maintain public safety. Police action, he added, meant that major public events including a football match, a city festival and a concert were still able to take place unhindered.
Leipzig Mayor, Burkhard Jung (SPD), also condemned the violence, describing left-wing extremist protesters as “crazy delinquents”. He also criticised a Green councillor attending the far-left manifestation, saying it was “somewhat naive” to assume that a demonstration “on such a day” would remain peaceful.
Another SPD politician viewed the situation differently, however. Saxony MP, Albrecht Pallas, claimed the police had acted “provocatively” and used unnecessary force. Pallas said that triggered an escalation of violence. The far-left Die Linke, meanwhile, has demanded a special debate in parliament about the events, claiming protesters’ rights were violated.
However, Saxony Interior Minister, Armin Schuster (CDU), defended police action before and during the demonstrations, saying he was “pleased” that the police and the city were what he described as well prepared.
For a second night in a row, hundreds of #Antifa members rioted in Leipzig following the conviction of 3 of their comrades who prosecutors proved carried out a campaign of beatings using hammers, bats & iron bars. The leader was released pending appeal. pic.twitter.com/mnxnHMufEw
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) June 4, 2023
