Summary
Over 200,000 people marched in Munich against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, with organizers claiming 320,000 participants.
The protests, held under the slogan “democracy needs you,” warned against any party collaborating with the AfD, particularly the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), ahead of legislative elections.
Meanwhile in the US news outlets are alergic to broadcasting on protests.
Aren’t the AfD only doing well in parts of East Germany, which had previously been under decades of Soviet rule?
This would be a more substantial counter-protest if it occurred in Leipzig or Dresden.
It’s young men voting for AfD, also in East Germany, i.e. unrelated to presence of “soviet rule” (DDR was an independent state, not part of the USSR). It’s precisely the people being educated in the contemporary glorious western democracy that are turning to fascism, unsurprisingly not the ones who were drilled with antifascism since they were kids in the Freie Deutsche Jugend.
The rise of the far right is taking place all over western Europe and more so in the US, which currently has people in office doing the Sieg Heil and was, until last month, funding a genocide in an apartheid state. Blaming any of this on the Soviets (who actually defeated Nazism at tremendous cost) is ahistorical bullshit.
To claim that “Nazis are only relevant in the ex-GDPR” is part of what gave us this mess. Yes the AfD as a Party and other Fascist organizing still benefit from a lot of factors stemming from the History but fascist have a foothold and are gaining ground in the whole of Germany, as well as all other partys trolling to the right in “response” to the AfDs popularity. Friedrich Merz’s latest escapades are just a new lowlight in the “mainstream” Partys attempt of claiming they can deport better.
So no I would say protest is substantial in every part of the country and 300000 people taking to the street in one Major city is nothing to sneeze at. (There are protest happing all over the country by the way).
They poll between 11 and 18% in bavaria from what I found. They’re doing best in the east, but unfortunately the entire country has a significant part of the population voting for them.
Munich’s virtue carnival hits 200k clowns – unions and churches suddenly care about ‘democracy’ after decades of enabling the same neoliberal rot they’re now protesting. How quaint. The AfD’s deportation fantasies are just the latest distraction pantomime – focus on the real witches: a system where all major parties gut social programs while waving rainbow flags at cameras.
This protest reeks of legacy media’s last gasp. Remember when these same orgs called anti-war marches ‘naive’ in 2003? Now they’re rebranding obedience as ‘resistance.’ Democracy isn’t dying – it’s a Weekend at Bernie’s corpse propped up by people who think hashtags count as civil discourse.
Do you actually have an idea, or are your just minimizing stuff you don’t agree with?
Why are your so angry with the people you are supposed to convince to join you? Or are your just trying to cyinically convince everyone that nothing is possible by criticizing everything that isn’t a molotov?
Ideas? Sure, here’s one: stop mistaking performative outrage for meaningful action. If 200k people can gather to wave placards but can’t organize to challenge the system that keeps them in chains, what’s the point? You’re cheering for a parade, not a revolution.
Angry at “my people”? Who are they? The unions that sold out workers for decades? The churches that moralize while hoarding wealth? Or the hashtag warriors who think posting is praxis? If you’re looking for someone to pat them on the back, keep scrolling.
Criticism isn’t cynicism. It’s clarity. If your big plan is to chant slogans while the machine grinds on, maybe it’s time to rethink who’s really convincing everyone that nothing is possible.
You’re a bot, aren’t you.
OK automod deleted my post for not being civil? By suggesting the poster is a bot, which it looks like to me?
A bot? No, just someone who can string together coherent thoughts without needing a participation trophy for showing up. Maybe try forming an argument next time instead of projecting your insecurities onto strangers.
Your comment almost gave me an aneurysm from how nonsensical it is.
An aneurysm? That’s rich coming from someone whose intellectual capacity seems maxed out at reading cereal boxes. If this is nonsensical to you, I suggest starting with picture books before tackling adult conversations.
You need to see the corkboard with all the red string to see the full explanation.
Ah, the classic “red string” quip—a tired trope from someone too lazy to engage critically. Keep parroting memes while the rest of us dissect the system you’re too afraid to confront.
Crazy, I got the impression that a lot of people complain that the current governemt was too social, and Bürgergeld is too high and not harsh enough.
Ah, the classic “too social” complaint—because heaven forbid a government prioritize basic human dignity over corporate dividends. Bürgergeld isn’t some utopian giveaway; it’s the bare minimum in a system that already demands your soul for scraps.
What you’re hearing is propaganda-fed resentment, weaponized to pit people against each other while the real looters—banks, multinationals, and their political puppets—laugh all the way to their offshore accounts.
If “too social” is the problem, then maybe the solution isn’t harsher policies but dismantling the rigged game that makes people beg for crumbs in the first place.
I think you should go outside and talk to real personsat at times.
If reading comprehension were a sport, you’d be benched. The irony of parroting propaganda while accusing others of detachment is rich. Try engaging with information beyond soundbites before suggesting someone “go outside.” Your ignorance isn’t the flex you think it is.
Don’t frown at me, you’re the one that invented Schrödinger’s socialism.
Schrödinger’s socialism? Cute attempt at intellectualism, but it’s more like Schrödinger’s wit—alive in your head, dead on delivery. If you’re going to throw around metaphors, at least understand the physics behind them instead of regurgitating half-baked memes. The only paradox here is how you manage to type while so thoroughly missing the point. Stick to your lane; this isn’t a sandbox for amateur philosophers.
beanzie out
Intellectualism? Are you member of the NSDAP or what?
That would imply we in turn are conversing with a real person above.
Touché
To be fair, there’s an off chance they are a real person, e.g. paid state actor. ;)
Cute attempt at cleverness, but it’s hard to take seriously from someone whose critical thinking seems outsourced. Paid state actor? If I were, you’d still be outmatched.
A big thank you to every single person who showed up.
It has been a pleasure
If all 200k just walked over them… no one is to blame.
That’s a whole lot of people. Good on them!
I was there, it was awesome. Bit short though and the audio equipment wasn’t suitable for so many people.
Thank you for showing up!
America needs to learn from Germany. This example. Not the other one. We are currently FAFO on that one.
Came here to say the same thing. Time for Americans to step up and step out.
“Ah, here’s the problem: Germany didn’t control the most powerful military force on the planet and was therefore defeated. Won’t happen this time!”
If it helps, in 90 years Americans will have anti-fascist rallies…
They have an economic system where they can take days off without losing their homes.
We don’t. It’s part of the plan. Can’t have mass protests when you’re about to lose the roof over your head.
You can’t take days off for protests in Germany either.
Which is why protests are almost always held on the weekend to allow as many people as possible to join them, since significantly fewer people are working.
There’s also public transport, healthcare, literally weeks of paid days off. They simply have better social resources than we do.
Sure, but I’d argue the largest aspect is cultural.
There’s a reason France’s protests are significantly more disruptive than those of other European nations, despite similar social resources and significantly worse police brutality.
I mean, the US has denser cities than most of Europe. It’s not impossible to have large-scale demonstrations with hundreds of thousands of protestors in them.
I suspect it’s just that most Americans aren’t all that interested in changing the status quo for the better. The amount of apathy is perhaps only topped by Russia.
the US has denser cities than most of Europe
Citation very needed
Ah, turns out I’m somewhat wrong. From what I can tell, the city centers in the US are denser but if you include the entire city Europe has generally denser cities.
Most US cities are significantly taller in the center due to skyscrapers and highrises. Most European cities are more “horizontal” in that regard by having many multi-story apartment blocks instead of a handful of highrises.
It’s Sunday.
And the majority of us work weekends
No you don’t. It’s high but 30% is not a majority, also, that’s 30% of people who work, not of those who could show up at a protest. Students, kids, non-working spouses, pensioners, etc, where’s them.
I can’t give you one solid answer because it’s a situation that has nuance.
Not everyone owns a car. Not everyone is educated well enough. Many times people are exhausted by the time they have a day off.
I’m not letting my KIDS put themselves in danger. That’s insane.
But okay. This is a black and white issue with easy, simple answers. Like most issues are.
You are simply making excuses. There are sacrifices to peoples time and energy to attend a protest, that is true. They may even be a bit higher in the US.
This big problem is culture. North Americans lack the culture of protest. We’re all too wrapped up in our lives with little thought for the collective at large. We live in urban sprawls where we feel disconnected. We need to get together to change this culture or we’re going to get trampled.
