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Leftwing activists attack Frankfurt Pegida demo

The Local Germany
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Leftwing activists attack Frankfurt Pegida demo
Police and anti-Pegida demonstrators at a protest in Frankfurt in February. Photo: DPA

Violence broke out in central Frankfurt on Monday evening when left-wing demonstrators attacked a small Pegida demonstration, leading to serious clashes with the police.

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The violence took place at the end of a demonstration by anti-Islamic movement Pegida which was attended by around 80 people and took place peacefully in any area cordoned off by the police, the Frankfurter Rundschau reported.

But when the police allowed the march to head in the direction of the central train station, it was attacked by a group of around 1,000 activists who had turned up to protest against the anti-Islam movement.

At around 8.30 pm, the left-wing activists blocked the road, pulling waste containers and hoardings into the street in front of the Pegida march.

They went on to throw bottles and stones at the police and Pegida demonstrators, seriously injuring one female demonstrator in the process.

In response, the police tried to quell the activists with pepper spray and batons. Several people were injured in the eyes and needed to be looked at by paramedics.

At 9.00 pm the violence escalated. Anti-Pegida demonstrators attacked a policeman on his motorcycle, beating and kicking him before he managed to escape. Police said that the front wheel of his bike was wrecked.

The police attacked the demonstrators again and arrested at least one woman. The crowd repeatedly shouted the slogans “Frankfurt free of Nazis” and “All of Frankfurt hates the police”.

As the police escorted the Pegida demonstrators down an escalator into the Willy Brandt underground station, more objects were thrown at them.

At the Pegida demonstration a speaker had said that Islam is a “fascist ideology” and that Muslims want to make everyone worldwide live under Sharia law.

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