Thousands protest far right and Merz government in Bavaria

About 16,000 people demonstrated against the far right in Munich and Bamberg on Saturday, while separate rallies in both cities called for the resignation of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government, BR reported. Police said nearly 2,000 people took part in the protests against the federal government. The demonstrations were largely peaceful.

About 12,000 people gathered near Munich’s Siegestor for a so-called “Prüf-Demo”, according to police. The nationwide campaign calls for the Federal Constitutional Court to review parties classified by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency as suspected or confirmed far-right organisations.

At the same time, about 350 people demonstrated at Königsplatz under the slogan “This government must go”. Police said around 100 counter-protesters also took part.

In Bamberg, about 1,500 people marched through the city in a rally organised by the “Unity for Germany Project M1llion” initiative. Participants carried German flags, drums and whistles, and a banner read “Merz must go”. The group is calling, among other things, for new elections, a halt to migration and the resignation of the federal government.

Police said the march was delayed only briefly after 14 people attempted to block its route by sitting in the street. Some had to be carried away before the march could continue.

About 4,000 people joined a counter-demonstration in Bamberg, called by several organisations including “Grannies Against the Right”. Their slogans included “There is no place here for right wing incitement”.

Demonstrations against the far right were also held in more than 35 cities across Germany. In Düsseldorf, 20,000 people gathered, more than twice the number initially registered. In Berlin, police estimated that about 13,000 people joined a march to the Red Town Hall, the seat of the city government, one week before the state parliamentary election.