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“Sea of Lights for Democracy” in Munich: People demonstrate on the Theresienwiese against racism, anti-Semitism and hate speech
Photo: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand / dpa
According to initial police estimates, more than 75,000 people demonstrated against racism, anti-Semitism and hate speech in Munich with a “sea of lights for democracy”. Some had hung fairy lights, others carried lanterns or flashlights. The organizers spoke of 300,000 participants.
The Theresienwiese, the location of the Oktoberfest in autumn, shone brightly - to make people's minds brighter, said human rights activist Düzen Tekkal. In her speech, she called for unity for democracy and warned not to get lost in individual interests.
The call for the demonstration, which was initiated by Fridays for Future and supported by a broad civil society alliance, said: “We will not allow people in our country to be excluded and persecuted. We defend ourselves against right-wing extremism and disgusting deportation fantasies. The silent majority is no longer silent!”
There were also demonstrations against right-wing extremism in other places in Germany. According to the police, up to 4,000 people took to the streets in Itzehoe on Saturday, and around 2,500 people in Flensburg. Rallies in which the police reported a number of participants in the low four-digit range also took place at the weekend in Sinsheim in Baden-Württemberg, in Werne and Fröndenberg in North Rhine-Westphalia, in Hamburg and in Einbeck in Lower Saxony.
kfr/dpa