© AFP / Robert Michael
Far-right protesters in Chemnitz greet German Chancellor
German Chancellor Angela Merkel finally visited the eastern German city of Chemnitz, more than two months after massive right-wing protests there. However, twenty times as many people came to protest against her than to see her.
In late August, the city of Chemnitz witnessed a surge of anti-immigrant sentiment after the fatal stabbing of a German man, allegedly by a group of migrants. The incident provoked a wave of right-wing rallies and far-right marches, as well as counter-protests, some of which escalated into skirmishes between riot police and protesters, resulting in multiple arrests and injuries.
Now, more than two months after the scandal, Merkel finally turned her attention to the beleaguered city in what even the local mayor, Barbara Ludwig, called a belated gesture. The chancellor met with a youth basketball team, talked to Ludwig and the head of the region of Saxony, where Chemnitz is located. In an apparent attempt to heal the rift between the government and the people, she also engaged in what she called a "civil dialogue" with some 120 readers of a local newspaper.
The chancellor's visit predictably brought no surprises as she kept defending her immigration policies, admitting, however, that they provoked some "dissatisfaction" among Germans. She described the Chemnitz murder as a "horrifying crime" but said that no crimes justify other crimes, referring to the far-right violence and xenophobic attacks.
Comment: See also: