Thousands in German City of Chemnitz Join Rival Protests Over Immigration

Thousands of both opponents and supporters of Germany’s liberal immigration policies marched through the eastern city of Chemnitz, where the fatal stabbing of a German man, allegedly by two migrants, had previously sparked protests and street violence.

Clashes were averted Sept. 1, as police kept the rival protests from crossing paths and arrested unruly individuals who threatened to shatter the tense calm.

Riot police arrest a man near the intersection of two rival protests in the German city of Chemnitz, on Sept. 1, 2018. Jens Schlueter/Getty Images

Heavy reinforcements from across Germany were brought in after police admitted to being caught off-guard and shorthanded as last week’s protests in Chemnitz turned violent, triggered by an Aug. 27 deadly knife attack, allegedly committed by an Iraqi and Syrian.

Riot police observe participants in a right-wing march, after it was halted due to a blockade by counter-demonstrators in Chemnitz, Germany, on Sept. 1, 2018. Jens Schlueter/Getty Images

Two suspects have been arrested and face manslaughter charges in the stabbing death of 35-year-old Daniel Hillig, whose portrait was carried during a Sept. 1 procession organized by the right-wing party Alternative for Germany (AfD).

People take part in a march organized by the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) political party and carry German flags and portraits of supposed victims of migrant violence on Sept. 1, 2018, in Chemnitz, Germany. Jens Schlueter/Getty Images

An estimated 6,000 people took part in the march, with demonstrators carrying German flags and shouting “Merkel must go!”

The AfD-led demonstration against liberal migration policies in Chemnitz, Germany, Sept. 1, 2018. Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters

Germany has seen the influx of more than 1.6 million asylum seekers in the past four years, mainly Muslims from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, triggering fears that mass migration might undercut social stability.

‘Heart Instead of Hate’

Earlier on Sept. 1, about 3,500 demonstrators marched under the slogan “Heart instead of Hate” in support of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to open Germany’s borders to migrants. The demonstrators also denounced far-right extremists, some of whom reportedly roamed the streets of Chemnitz in the aftermath of last week’s stabbing, allegedly seeking to carry out revenge attacks.

People in Chemnitz, Germany, demonstrate their support for asylum seekers and opposition to far-right sentiment, holding signs that read "No place for Nazis" and "Racism is no alternative," on Sept. 1, 2018. Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters

Merkel decried Hillig’s killing at a news conference in Berlin last week, and spoke out against vigilante justice as “something that has no place in a state under the rule of law.”

At one point on Sept. 1, a group of black-clad Antifa extremists tried to attack the AfD-led march, but were prevented by police.

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, known for his anti-migrant stance, said Sept. 1 that he understood why “the people in Chemnitz and elsewhere are upset about the brutal killing,” but added, “There’s no excuse for violence,” Funke Media Group reported.

“We need a strong state and we have to do everything politically to overcome the polarization and division of our society,” Seehofer stressed.

The protests ended without violence, with Saxony police tweeting, “The overwhelming majority are behaving peacefully. For those looking for trouble, we say that we remain heavily deployed in the city, and we repeat our request: Stay peaceful!”

The flow of migrants coming to Germany has slowed significantly in recent years, in part because of backlash to Merkel’s open-door policy.

According to figures provided by the Asylum Information Database, the number of recorded asylum applications in Germany for 2017 was 222,683, compared to 745,545 in the previous year.

Reuters contributed to this report.