Rally in Potsdam against AfD with sports friends Stiller and Madsen

It was a clear sign on the day before the state elections: several thousand people gathered on Potsdam’s Luisenplatz on Saturday to protest against a shift to the right and the AfD.

With posters and slogans such as “Potsdam stays colorful”, “Human rights instead of right-wing people” or “Hate is not an opinion”, the demonstration took place under the motto “Stay stable – against the AfD and the shift to the right”. The call was made by the initiative “Kein Bock auf Nazis” and the Brandenburg alliance “Bridges instead of trenches”.

“We’re just trying to wake everyone up across the country so that everyone goes to vote tomorrow,” said Joshi, co-organizer and singer of the Berlin punk rock band ZSK, who were also on stage that evening. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed that the AfD at least doesn’t become the strongest force.”

Road around Luisenplatz closed to car traffic

Around Luisenplatz, clubs, associations and civil society organizations provided information about diversity, democracy and promoted human rights and cosmopolitanism.

© Andreas Klaer

Shortly after 8 p.m., Schopenhauerstrasse was closed to car traffic due to the large crowds of people, with only local traffic allowed through at walking pace. The road closure was seen as an indication that the number of people could reach 10,000. The announced headliners of the music rally, the band Madsen, were expected on stage at 9 p.m.

At the rally, numerous people held up a sign calling for a ban on the AfD. During their almost hour-long performance, Sportfreunde Stiller called on people not to “vote for the supporters of Russian fascism, for the AfD and BSW.” The singer of the punk band ZSK, Joshi, called on those attending the rally to drive to Marquardt on election Sunday to “spoil the election party” of the AfD celebrating there. The Brandenburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies the AfD as a suspected right-wing extremist case. In the last poll before the election, the party was just ahead of the SPD.