200,000 protest against far-right in Munich

February 08, 2025 / 8:29 PM

Protesters take part in a demonstration against the far right at the Theresienwiese under the motto “Democracy needs you!” in Munich

Sharjah 24 – AFP: On Saturday, over 200,000 people gathered in Munich to protest against the far-right, drawing massive attention in Germany. The demonstration came after a similar rally in Berlin the previous weekend, where around 160,000 people voiced their concerns about growing right-wing influence.

"Munich is multicolour" rally and growing opposition

The protest, dubbed "Munich is multicolour," initially saw police estimate a turnout of 100,000 but later revised it to over 200,000. The demonstrators, under the slogan "democracy needs you," warned against collaborating with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), especially with Germany’s elections approaching in two weeks.

CDU’s alleged breach of the "Firewall" against far-right

Protesters accused the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the frontrunner in the elections, of breaking the long-standing "firewall" against working with the far-right. The CDU has sought AfD's support for an anti-immigration bill in parliament.

Calls for diversity and democracy

Organisers claimed 320,000 participants in the Munich march, aiming to send a strong message for diversity, human dignity, and democracy. Protesters also voiced their frustration with CDU leader Friedrich Merz, calling out his stance.

Smaller protests elsewhere

A smaller protest in Hanover attracted 24,000 people, while the CDU has ruled out forming a government with the AfD, which is currently polling second.