Thousands in Berlin protest against far-right presence in German Parliament

Thousands of people gathered on Sunday in Berlin to protest against racism and the presence of a far-right party in the German parliament.

Some 12,000 people, according to organisers, though police said there were 10,000 present, marched from Brandenburg Gate through the governmental district, two days ahead of the opening session of a parliament that will have a far-right party present for the first time in decades, Efe reported.

Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right party known for its anti-immigration views that is often branded as racist, became the third largest party in the country in the Sept. elections, receiving 12.6 percent of the vote.

One of the organiders of Sunday's march, Ali Can, said the demonstration was not against the democratic election of the party, though he admitted that the electoral results had shaken him.

Christopher Bautz, leader of the NGO Compact, said that what could not be tolerated was the AfD opening parliament to neo-Nazis and the extreme right that what wanted to abolish democracy and the rule of law in Germany.

Images by an epa photographer on the ground showed participants in the march waving European Union, leftist party and rainbow flags and holding up signs emblazoned with anti-AfD and anti-racist slogans.

--IANS

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