APD | Germany’s Dresden imposes “Nazi Emergency” amid escalating extremism

By APD writer Aditya Nugraha

BERLIN, Nov. 3 (APD) - The Germany eastern city of Dresden has officially imposed a “Nazi Emergency” for the fear of rising far-Right group promoting Nazism rhetoric in their frequent rallies and demonstrations in the city.

The groups’ rallies and demonstrations, frequently staged on weekends, opposed Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel’s pro-refugee policies passed in 2015.

Dresden is the headquarters of headquarters of the Pegida movement that staunchly calls for restrictions on Islamic immigration. Since being founded in Dresden in 2014, the movement has spread across the globe in recent years.

The Nazi Emergency motion was issued by Dresden city council, demanding for education and civil engagement to curb extremism. It also called upon council authorities not to approve any marches featuring far-Right elements.

The motion also consequently calls for federal government’s supports to tackle the extremism crisis.

The council is run by a Left-wing coalition, but has strong members of far-Right-group Alternative for Germany (AfD).

Leftist councilor Max Aschenbach, who developed the resolution, said the city needed to acknowledge extremism had reached crisis levels.

“This city has a problem with Nazis and we need to do something about it,” Aschenbach said.

“It has been five years of (right-wing rallies), terrorist attacks and terrorist groups – and everyday news reports on Swastikas and Hitler salutes. Politicians must finally be able to stand up and say ‘no, this is unacceptable,” he said.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right Christian Democrats along with AfD both opposed the measure.

A spokesperson for the Christian Democrats criticized the motion, saying that it was an exercise in “pure symbolic politics” and represented a “linguistic error”.

The council’s Free Democrats Councilor Holger Hase, whose party supported the motion, was critical of the language used. The motion was necessary as the city was one of the contenders for the 2025 European Capital of Culture designation, he added.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)