Thousands in Berlin Streets in Rival Political Rallies

To protest against a far-right rally thousands of people gathered in Germany’s capital on Sunday. The march was organized by the anti-immigrant, anti-Islam Alternative for Germany (AfD) drew over 5,000 supporters while the counter-demonstrators numbered more than 25,000.
The counter-demonstrators, including anti-fascists, pro-refugee organisations and LGBTQI groups, took to the streets of Berlin shouting slogans against the AfD rally. The counter-demonstrators were playing loud band music and chanting of “We are the people” were countered with “Go away, Nazis”
On Twitter, Berlin police said they had to use pepper spray to stop demonstrators from trying to break down barriers separating the rallies at Berlin’s Leipziger square. They also announced bridge closures to avoid AfD demonstrators running into their opponents.
The counter-demonstrations, organised under the banner “stop the hatred, stop the AfD”, were triggered by a call from the far-right party for its supporters to march in the capital “for the future of Germany”.
AfD supporters kicked off their march “for the future of Germany” shortly after midday at Berlin’s main train station, before walking to the iconic Brandenburg Gate, with many waving Germany’s black, red and gold flag.
Along the route, their chants of “Merkel must go” and “We are the people” were occasionally drowned out by whistles, jeers and outstretched middle fingers from counter-demonstrators in side streets blocked off by police. ‘Merkel is not Germany’.
Leading AfD figures Jörg Meuthen and Alexander Gauland, who regularly rail against chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to let in large numbers of mainly Muslim refugees at the height of Europe’s migrant crisis, were expected to address the crowds.
Prior to the rally, Stoppt den Hass, an umbrella of anti-AfD protest groups, said “The AfD blames Muslims and displaced people for all evils, from poverty to sexual violence,”
>Juthy Saha