Hamburg Rally: Thousands Protest Right-Wing Extremism

Thousands of people demonstrated in Hamburg against right-wing extremism under the motto "Freedom must be defended," with organizers reporting around 25,000 participants marching through the city center. Speakers included EKD Council Chair Bishop Kirsten Fehrs, Hamburg DGB leader Tanja Chawla, and Deputy Schura Chair Özlem Nas, with singer Axel Bosse performing live. The event was organized by the "Zusammen gegen Rechts Hamburg" alliance, the "Prüf" initiative, and Fridays for Future Hamburg. The demonstration followed the AfD's nearly 44 percent result in Saxony-Anhalt's election, which organizers said showed the role of such votes amid a global rise of the right. The "Prüf" initiative, led by satirist Nico Semsrott, calls monthly for constitutional court review of parties classified as right-wing extremist.