Alice Weidel, the AfD's candidate for chancellor, attracted both fervent supporters and significant protests during her campaign event held on Saturday, February 1, 2024, at Neu-Isenburg's Hugenottenhalle. The venue, which was packed with around 1,000 AfD supporters, was the center of attention not just for its political significance, but also for the intense demonstrations outside led by various activist groups.
Inside the Hugenottenhalle, Weidel stood before her cheering admirers, clad in her signature blue blazer, as she delivered a passionate speech promising to bring radical changes if the AfD were to come to power. "We will immediately close the borders, stop funding for asylum seekers, withdraw from the World Health Organization, cancel the Paris Climate Agreement, and exit wind energy," she declared, eliciting thunderous applause from the crowd. Her fiery rhetoric even echoed former President Trump's slogan when she insisted, "We have to make our country great again," linking her vision with right-wing populist sentiment.
Outside the venue, the atmosphere was dramatically different. Over 9,000 protestors thronged the streets, significantly surpassing expectations. They chanted slogans such as "Nazis out" and "We are more," firmly opposing the perceived far-right ideologies represented by the AfD. Police had been preparing for this large protest for weeks, enacting multiple street closures to manage the situation. The Hugenottenhalle was set against the backdrop of intense social unrest, as activist groups, including Fridays for Future and various community organizations, took to the streets under the rallying cry of "No place for fascism!"
Benjamin Rauch, spokesperson for the 'weltoffene Neu-Isenburger:innen', expressed anger at the city's hosting of the event, stating, "The factthat such an undemocratic event is permitted is indicative of the rightward shift occurring across all parties." Meanwhile, Lukas Hopp from Fridays for Future emphasized the need for resistance against the AfD's rhetoric: "While the parties of the AfD chase right-wing ideas, we must be the firewall against their hateful propaganda."
Despite the peaceful nature of the protests overall, tensions flared sporadically. There were reports of clashes between police and protestors, leading to minor injuries on both sides and even some arrests. Demonstrators attempted to breach police barriers, compromising safety and security measures around the venue. While most of the protests remained lawful, isolated incidents, including the throwing of smoke bombs and attempts to set police vehicles alight, marred the day's events.
The police, anticipating the scale of the protests, had bolstered their presence with more personnel, resulting in traffic disruptions throughout Neu-Isenburg. Mayor Dirk Gene Hagelstein reassured constituents about the city's obligations: "The decision to rent out the Hugenottenhalle does not signify endorsement of the AfD's political standpoint, but is about maintaining democratic principles."
The turnout at Weidel’s event and the protests highlighted the deep divisions within German society as it approaches the 2025 federal elections. While AfD supporters rallied with chants like "Alice for Germany," opposition groups rallied with signs calling for political change, underscoring the clash of ideologies.
Further reflecting the tensions of the day, graffiti targeting the CDU and other political symbols appeared across the city, hinting at the deep-seated discontent with mainstream parties' alignment with some of the more extreme positions espoused by the AfD.
Throughout the day, simultaneous protests occurred across Germany. Notably, crowds of around 2,000 gathered at rallies organized by the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) and various Green party factions, denouncing what they termed the "political breach of decency" represented by far-right politics.
Weidel’s event, streamed live on platforms such as YouTube, garnered over 250,000 views, showing her significant online traction even amid this pervasive opposition. Her supporters celebrated her as though she were a pop star, chanting her name, framing her presence as not just political but also deeply personal for many within the AfD’s stronghold.
This juxtaposition of fervent support and vehement opposition paints a complex picture of the current political climate in Germany. With the next federalelection on the horizon, the contrasts between the AfD’s position and the collective pushback from various societal factions will likely continue to dominate the discourse as citizens navigate their political stances against the backdrop of growing polarization.