After the riots at the lateral thinking demonstration in Leipzig, Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer and Interior Minister Wöller spoke up.
Leipzig / Dresden – After the riots at the “lateral thinking” demo in Leipzig (TAG24 reported) criticism of the police and the Saxon Interior Minister Roland Wöller (50, CDU) had become loud. Now Wöller has spoken out together with Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (45, CDU).
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Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (45, CDU) criticizes the “lateral thinker” demo. © Screenshot Youtube / Free State of Saxony
“I want to tell you: none of us in the Saxon state government and I also believe that the majority of the people in Germany understand this type of demonstration,” said Kretschmer at a press conference in Dresden on Sunday.
Kretschmer announced a processing of what happened. “Because what happened there is extremely dangerous not only to those who were there, but to all of us.”
Of course, an ambulance and a bed will be available for every participant who was infected at the demonstration in Leipzig. But these places would then be missing for people who are innocent: “I would like to appeal again: The danger is real. The number of patients in hospitals and also in intensive care units is increasing.”
The consequence: they want to consider tightening the Corona Protection Ordinance.
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Saxony’s Interior Minister Roland Wöller (50, CDU) defends the behavior of the police during the demonstrations in Leipzig. © Screenshot Youtube / Free State of Saxony
Wöller spoke of a “fatal signal”: “It is incomprehensible to me that in the midst of a worsening corona pandemic, a gathering of over 16,000 participants in downtown Leipzig can be approved. The organizers and participants have made it clear in advance that that they don’t wear masks and don’t want to keep a minimum distance. “
“With its decision to allow the large demonstration in the middle of Leipzig, the Bautzen Higher Administrative Court approved the largest corona party with over 20,000 participants,” said Wöller. This is irresponsible from the point of view of infection protection. Bavaria shows that there is another way, where large rallies in Munich were prohibited by court.
With such numbers of participants an effective control by the police is impossible. A violent dissolution of a peaceful demonstration was not an issue.
With a large contingent of 2,700 officers, the police ensured the mostly peaceful course and prevented violent clashes.
“We will take these processes as an opportunity to legally review the restrictions for assemblies in the Corona Protection Ordinance,” announced Wöller. Now to accuse the police of having failed is “irrelevant and completely absurd”. “I firmly reject this. We fully support our police officers.”
The politician also expressed criticism of the events in Connewitz: “Barricades were burning and police officers were attacked, as was the fire brigade. The police had to extinguish them with water cannons. I strongly condemn this repeated and senseless outbreak of violence.”
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