In the middle of the Corona crisis, the xenophobic alliance Pegida is allowed to demonstrate in Dresden – on a very explosive date. With a demonstration by Pro Chemnitz, the police also have to intervene massively.
With a special permission from the Dresden assembly authority, the anti-Islam and xenophobic Pegida movement was able to demonstrate again in the Corona crisis for the first time on Monday – but only with 15 admitted participants. The demonstrators had gathered on Dresden’s Neumarkt under police surveillance and behind a barrier. Outside the barriers, which bounded a 25 by 25 meter area, it was estimated that there were several dozen Pegida trailers at a greater distance and around 30 counter-demonstrators.
The police were deployed with 250 officers, reports the “Sächsische Zeitung”. There were no riots. “We were on duty with 250 police officers, let the demonstrators be counted through the barrier. After 15 people it was over. We meticulously made sure to keep the distance and to wear a face mask,” said police spokesman Thomas Geithner after the demo of the “picture” quoted.
Saxony, Dresden: Police officers and counter-demonstrators of a rally by the anti-Islam and xenophobic Pegida movement stand and sit with a face mask on the Neumarkt. (Source: Sebastian Kahnert / dpa)
After harsh criticism, the city of Dresden tightened the conditions again on Monday. The Dresden regulatory office had caused a shake of the head and triggered protests after a special permit for a Pegida meeting with 80 approved participants. Even Mayor Dirk Hilbert (FDP) was surprised by his authority’s decision and announced a legal review with regard to infection control. In the afternoon, the stricter requirements came up. Hilbert was quoted in a tweet from the state capital as saying that the new regulation was “much more appropriate”.
Pegida had announced on the Internet on Sunday that it had received a special permit after “constructive coordination with the assembly authority and the health department”. According to the Corona Protection Ordinance in Saxony, collections are prohibited, but exemptions can be granted.
Police must intervene in a demo in Chemnitz
The right-wing extremist association Pro Chemnitz was also able to demonstrate in front of the Karl Marx Monument in spite of the Corona crisis. The city had originally prohibited this. However, as the MDR reported, the demonstration violated the Corona Protection Ordinance. The police had to intervene.
The administrative court in Chemnitz granted an urgent request for the demonstration on Monday. However, there were also strict requirements here: the number of participants was also limited to 15, there was also no demonstration train and there had to be a minimum distance of two meters between the participants. In addition, a face mask had to be worn and the event could not last longer than an hour.
According to the MDR, up to 300 other people had gathered around the place of the meeting, who, according to the police, apparently sympathized with the meeting participants. The distance rules were therefore not observed. According to the police, 40 people were reported for violations of the Saxon Corona Protection Ordinance. Four crimes were also recorded. This is resistance to law enforcement officers, attempted dangerous bodily harm and the use of marks from unconstitutional organizations.
Controversial appointment
Criticism and protest sparked mainly on the date of the rally. Because April 20 – Hitler’s birthday – is a day used repeatedly by the right-wing extremist scene for meetings. Also in the call to the rally (“80 for 80 million”) some recognize the extremist intention: in the scene the double eight stands for “Heil Hitler”. With a few exceptions, Pegida always organizes its meetings on Mondays.
Nevertheless, the left, the SPD and various institutions drew attention to the connection with Hitler’s birthday. “Pegida once again demonstrates how anti-solidarity and misanthropic this right-wing extremist group is,” said Albrecht Pallas, head of the SPD in Dresden. The state capital hits the headlines again because it approves a racist demonstration. Pegida played along because of the risk of infection
Allowing the meeting to take place on April 20 of all days sends a signal “that will cause lasting damage to the reputation of the cultural city of Dresden in the international public”, said Semperoper director Peter Theiler. The association “Economy for a cosmopolitan Saxony” disapproved of the decision with similar arguments.
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