Live data from Hacker News

Tens of thousands protest in Germany against the rise of the far right

npr.org

21–30 of 226 posts

Re: Tens of thousands protest in Germany against the rise of the far right

#21

That's not a lot, in a country of millions. We do much more in France, every year. And it's been showing diminishing returns, as the government realized it could just not listen, and nothing bad would happen. In fact, it's a drop in the sea, compared to the rising casual xenophobia I can notice with my German acquaintances, friends, and even family. Medias, general discussions, and overall atmosphere is not going in…

I've never seen such a big protest. The transit system in Hamburg was completely overloaded. People standing around Alster lake, you couldn't even get close to the actual point where the protest was scheduled to happen. Those protests possibly may be ineffectual and what not - they certainly weren't small.

Hamburg: https://image.stern.de/34382826/t/ud/v2/w960/r1.7778/-/19-ha...

Both Hamburg and Munich protests needed to be canceled in the middle of the thing because the huge crowds were considered dangerous (I think rightly so).

Re: Tens of thousands protest in Germany against the rise of the far right

#23
post #12

Speaking only for myself with no sense of authority: there's something in the air that I'm not the only one feeling. Something very subtle seems off. The water is a little hotter, but subtly enough to say "nah it's not like that". The way I see it, tens of thousands took to the streets to make damn sure it won't be like that on their watch. The AfD has gotten louder and stronger last year, and it's reaching further a…

It's everywhere, not just in Germany. Like you said, there's "something in the air". The rise of populism, rebirth of strong nationalism, is everywhere in Europe. I feel like wherever that tide is pushed back, it grows stronger in the background anyway.

And the worst thing is, I don't really see how this could get better. Economic problems will continue to grow for at least several years, and one of the most contenious problems - immigration, legal or otherwise - is not going to slow down, fueled by conflicts around the globe and climate change pushing people out of previously habitable areas.

Re: Tens of thousands protest in Germany against the rise of the far right

#24
post #15

That's not a lot, in a country of millions. We do much more in France, every year. And it's been showing diminishing returns, as the government realized it could just not listen, and nothing bad would happen. In fact, it's a drop in the sea, compared to the rising casual xenophobia I can notice with my German acquaintances, friends, and even family. Medias, general discussions, and overall atmosphere is not going in…

Nothing is a lot compared to France. It's a lot for Germany, especially without a huge catalysing event.

There was a huge catalyzing event. A lot of high rank AfD party members met with known far-right/neo-nazi people in a „secret“ meeting: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-afd-disputes-remigration-inves...

Re: Tens of thousands protest in Germany against the rise of the far right

#25

Do the reverse of these protests ever happen? Are there some days where right wing people protest with similar numbers?

Can't speak for Germany but in the UK you'll find the usually suspects shouting in the street like this and the counter protest will be at the ballot box.

Re: Tens of thousands protest in Germany against the rise of the far right

#26
post #12

Speaking only for myself with no sense of authority: there's something in the air that I'm not the only one feeling. Something very subtle seems off. The water is a little hotter, but subtly enough to say "nah it's not like that". The way I see it, tens of thousands took to the streets to make damn sure it won't be like that on their watch. The AfD has gotten louder and stronger last year, and it's reaching further a…

Yea, Kremlin supported AfD is having a success. Putin is happily destroying european unity while we let their propaganda hit us in social media daily. [1]

The Russia induced Syrian migrant wave of 2015 sure helped undermine the current right wing popularity rise. [2]

And Russias involvement in making brexit happen... [3]

1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AfD_pro-Russia_movement

2: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-weaponizing-syrian-refugees-g...

3: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_interference_in_the_20...

Re: Tens of thousands protest in Germany against the rise of the far right

#27

That's not a lot, in a country of millions. We do much more in France, every year. And it's been showing diminishing returns, as the government realized it could just not listen, and nothing bad would happen. In fact, it's a drop in the sea, compared to the rising casual xenophobia I can notice with my German acquaintances, friends, and even family. Medias, general discussions, and overall atmosphere is not going in…

In a democracy, the people have a right to control immigration. Uncontrolled immigration has been very anti democratic and has angered people literally all over the world (you can find many examples). I’m tired of people thinking that just because they have some reflective empathy doesn’t make their policy choices better or morally superior. There are real negatives when it comes to it that many in the left pretend d…

But that party is planning to remigrate people with the wrong blood. The plan is to take away their German passports, move them into northern African country and create laws to make their life's as hard as possible in a decade long project to remove the unassimilated with German passports.

Source: https://correctiv.org/en/top-stories/2024/01/15/secret-plan-...

Re: Tens of thousands protest in Germany against the rise of the far right

#28

That's not a lot, in a country of millions. We do much more in France, every year. And it's been showing diminishing returns, as the government realized it could just not listen, and nothing bad would happen. In fact, it's a drop in the sea, compared to the rising casual xenophobia I can notice with my German acquaintances, friends, and even family. Medias, general discussions, and overall atmosphere is not going in…

And when people are unhappy, you can sell them an enemy. In the US, the enemy being sold to the public is China. It's China this. China that. China is stealing your future. China is stealing our technology. Both parties are happy to throw China under the bus to win some votes and hide their deficiencies.

It's ironic coz in the 90s they were condescendingly told they were shooting themselves in the foot by not having a "free market" and centrally planning. Now they're too successful and it's a threat.

Re: Tens of thousands protest in Germany against the rise of the far right

#29

That's not a lot, in a country of millions. We do much more in France, every year. And it's been showing diminishing returns, as the government realized it could just not listen, and nothing bad would happen. In fact, it's a drop in the sea, compared to the rising casual xenophobia I can notice with my German acquaintances, friends, and even family. Medias, general discussions, and overall atmosphere is not going in…

And when people are unhappy, you can sell them an enemy. In the US, the enemy being sold to the public is China. It's China this. China that. China is stealing your future. China is stealing our technology. Both parties are happy to throw China under the bus to win some votes and hide their deficiencies.

[dead]

Re: Tens of thousands protest in Germany against the rise of the far right

#30
post #12

Speaking only for myself with no sense of authority: there's something in the air that I'm not the only one feeling. Something very subtle seems off. The water is a little hotter, but subtly enough to say "nah it's not like that". The way I see it, tens of thousands took to the streets to make damn sure it won't be like that on their watch. The AfD has gotten louder and stronger last year, and it's reaching further a…

The "good" options are doing what their funders demand them to do and that is keeping the current system limping onward.

The opposition, the far right ones are however funded by new sources, shady ones. Their platform is thin as ice, there is no substance behind their loud slogans. But the slogans they use, do reach peoples heads. If the current leaders are not able to take these points for them selves and gain back the votes by actually doing what the proletariat want, then a very sudden and painful fall is the outcome. It has always been that way.

Post reply on HN