Pro-Palestinian rally in Leipzig draws large police presence
Several hundred people gathered in Leipzig on Saturday for a pro-Palestinian demonstration to protest against supporters of Israel within the left-wing scene.
Several left-wing groups registered to gather in the Connewitz district of the eastern German city. Large numbers of police officers were deployed, expecting an extended operation.
The officers were separating the different groups, using barriers in some instances. No major incidents have been reported so far.
A reporter on site heard demonstrators shouting “Viva Viva Palestina” and “Free Palestine.”
Handala, a pro-Palestinian group which opposes Israel, called for the gathering under the motto “Antifa means: Free Palestine.”
Germany’s domestic security service, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, classifies Handala as extremist.
Saturday’s demonstration is directed against the predominantly pro-Israeli left-wing scene, which is mainly based in the Connewitz area of Leipzig. Opponents to this group include other far-left groups.
The state police called in support from beyond Saxony to include members of the forces from Thuringia, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein.
