Two police officers were attacked and seriously injured today by protesters who had gathered to express their opposition to the organization of the conference of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the city of Essen.

The incident happened near the conference hall: “Unknown persons kicked two policemen in the head” and continued to “beat them while they were on the ground.” “Seriously injured”, the two men were taken to the hospital, the police said.

Violent clashes between separatists and the police took place on the sidelines of the anti-AfD demonstrations, resulting in 11 police officers being injured and dozens of people arrested, while many of the delegates needed a police escort to get to the conference venue. The mayor of Essen Thomas Kuffen (CDU) stressed that in the city “there is no place for hate” and added that “today we want to defend our democracy, freedom, diversity and tolerance and take a clear stand against exclusion and extremism, as at a time when the voices of those who openly reject our democracy and our free society are growing louder, it is good to see so many people sending a strong message.” In the same spirit, the president of the Synod of the Evangelical Church of Germany, Anna-Nicole Heinrich, called on citizens “to defend an open, tolerant and just society and to resolutely oppose the enemies of democracy”, while, addressing the members of the AfD, she said : “To all right-wing extremists, all fascists, AfD officials here in Essen today: Tolerance is important, but it does not mean that everything is allowed. When it comes to hate speech against people, racism, anti-Semitism and queer hostility, the debate is over. Hate is not an opinion.”