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A large protest on Saturday filled with activists from the radical organization Antifa, which President Donald Trump has designated as a domestic terrorist organization, delayed the start of a conference for the youth wing of the right-wing populist German party Alternative for Germany (AfD) called Generation Deutschland.
Between 25,000 and 30,000 protesters turned out against the AfD youth conference in the central German city of Giessen, drawing the largest police contingent (6,000 officers) in the history of the state of Hesse.
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel attacked protesters at the city’s convention center.
“What’s being done there — dear leftists, dear extremists, you need to look at yourselves — is something that is extremely undemocratic,” Weidel said.
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Two protesters jumped over the crash barrier while a water cannon was deployed. On Saturday several thousand protesters protested against the establishment of a new AfD youth organization. Its predecessor, Jung Alternative, which was classified as right-wing extremist, had itself dissolved. (Hans P Albert/Picture-Alliance/dpa/AP Images)
According to The Associated Press, police said officers used pepper spray at one point after rocks were thrown at them. They also used water cannons to clear a blockade of about 2,000 protesters after they ignored pleas to move away. They did so again on Saturday afternoon when a group tried to break through barriers towards the city’s convention centre. Police said 6,000 officers were deployed, and 10 to 15 were slightly injured.
Richard Grenell, former US Ambassador to Germany during the first administration, warned Ax about the dangers of the anti-democratic left in the Federal Republic of Germany.
He wrote, “The intolerant and violent left is taking hold in Germany. If they follow the American left they will promote deadly violence and lose public support – and even the elections. But they will not see the errors of their ways because the German left gets a lot of support from the media in Germany. It is also publicly funded. The conservative media is small and timid – but growing rapidly.”
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Boris Rhine, the Christian Democratic Union governor of the state of Hesse, criticized the attacks on police and the attempt to torpedo an AfD youth program.
“The use of violence and attempts to stop gatherings through marches can never be democratic means,” Rhines said.
The AfD achieved an impressive second-place election result in February, winning 20.8% of the vote. However, mainstream German parties refused to form a coalition with the AfD because of what they said were its extremist views.
Police and protesters, including members of Antifa, clashed on a road near the Lahnbruch bridge. On Saturday several thousand protesters protested against the establishment of a new AfD youth organization. November 29, 2025. (Lando Hass/Picture-Alliance/dpa/AP Images)
The youth division of the AfD elected 28-year-old Jean-Pascal Hohm as its president. According to an article in the German newspaper Die Welt, he was quoted in a local intelligence report as expressing anti-immigrant and nationalist views.
“We will fight strongly for a real change in migration policy that will ensure that Germany remains the homeland of Germans,” Hohm said at the start of the conference.
The creation of Generation Deutschland came about after Germany’s federal intelligence agency classified the previous AfD youth chapter, Young Alternative, as an “extremist organization” in 2023, resulting in its dissolution.
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The AfD portrays itself as an anti-establishment force at a time of low trust in politicians. It entered the national parliament for the first time in 2017 following the arrival of large numbers of immigrants in the mid-2010s. Curbing migration remains its main theme, but it has also shown a knack for capitalizing on discontent over other issues. This was reflected in the confident tone of the leaders on Saturday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
