Police in Essen, Germany used force to stop protesters from breaking through a cordon at a far-right AfD party congress. Around 100,000 protesters are expected to demonstrate against the party, with concerns of violence from leftist extremists.
The AfD party, monitored as a right-wing extremist organization, is gaining support despite warnings of its racist and anti-democratic views. It came second in European Parliament elections and is expected to do well in upcoming regional elections.
High security presence
Several thousand police officers are ensuring security at the protests. A large demonstration was planned at the main train station. Despite peaceful intentions, fears of violence remain.
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