Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) - A rally by the Alternative for Germany and several counter-demonstrations kept the police in Stuttgart on Saturday afternoon in suspense. A spokesman said that a total of five counter-events, mainly from the left spectrum, had been registered. The police are on site with a strong presence. Two water cannons stood between the rally and the counter-demonstrators on the market square, and mounted police officers were also deployed in the area.
The AfD event ran under the title "Defend yourself against poverty, hardship and cold". According to the police spokesman, the counter-demonstrators had positioned themselves in front of the market square. Loud chants could be heard, but the speeches at the AfD rally were still understandable. The Stuttgart police generally does not comment on the number of participants.
According to the "Stuttgarter Zeitung", the city had already sent a letter to the retailers warning of possible vandalism, among other things. Retailers are therefore recommended to secure their product displays. In July, there were clashes with the police at a meeting of AfD opponents in Stuttgart.
