Following the massive Saturday protests against the AfD federal party conference held in Erfurt, demonstrators have seemingly withdrawn from the capital of Thuringia. On Sunday morning, the spots where tens of thousands had protested the previous day were empty, according to a dts reporter. At the Cathedral Square, for instance, only numerous police vehicles indicated that the event was still underway. Cleanup efforts are also well advanced; protest placards and other materials have been meticulously stacked in garbage bags, ready for collection.
Despite this lull, security measures remain in place. Public transportation within the city center is heavily restricted, and checks continue on the route leading to the exhibition center where the party conference is taking place. However, waiting times for both delegates and journalists are no longer an issue, and a reporter noted that there were no protesters visible traveling from the train station to the venue.
While the large crowds have dispersed, smaller protest events are still anticipated today. So far registered are a cycling demonstration by ADFC and a gathering organized by the group “Omas gegen Rechts.” The previous day saw an estimated attendance of between 31,000 and 50,000 protesters. Efforts to block or delay the party conference ultimately failed, as most delegates arrived at the exhibition center overnight on Saturday.
For the most part, the demonstrations remained peaceful; however, there were isolated incidents of unrest where police deployed pepper spray. Furthermore, several media representatives were attacked. Overall, the police recorded a minimum of 48 criminal offenses and eleven public order violations during the proceedings.
