Lina E.: Lina protests come to a head – police surround demonstrators

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Police and demonstrators in Leipzig

Photo: CHRISTIAN MANG / REUTERS

The mood around the "Day X" in Leipzig is becoming more tense: The police have encircled around 1000 demonstrators in the late afternoon. Water cannons are also available.

"The situation on Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse is becoming unpeaceful. Our forces are attacked again and again and thrown with stones / pyrotechnics," wrote the police on Saturday evening on Twitter. We appeal to all people there to distance themselves from criminals and to behave peacefully. "Bystanders are asked to leave or avoid the area."

Under the slogan "Freedom of assembly also applies in Leipzig", a demonstration with 100 participants had been registered on Alexis-Schumann-Platz.

Stones, bottles, incendiary devices are flying

Around 1000 participants had gathered. After a peaceful start, stones, bottles and an incendiary device flew at police officers. The square was finally cleared by the police.

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»Free Lina« on posters

Photo: CHRISTIAN MANG / REUTERS

The city of Leipzig criticized the applicant for the demonstration in Connewitz: "The registration of this demonstration in the southern suburbs was irresponsible in view of the situation. The applicant must be asked whether he was just naïve or even pursued a strategy," said press spokesman Matthias Hasberg. The applicant was the former state board spokesman of the Saxon state association of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Jürgen Kasek.

Nationwide, left-wing circles had been mobilized for solidarity demonstrations in Leipzig. The occasion is the verdict against Lina E. and three co-defendants for attacks on alleged or actual neo-Nazis. The quartet around Lina E. had been sentenced on Wednesday by the Higher Regional Court of Dresden to several years in prison, including for bodily injury and membership in a criminal organization.

Lina E., who had been in custody for two and a half years, was provisionally released after the verdict was announced – the court cited her rheumatism and her previous conviction as a result of media coverage.

FLG