Skip to content
Grazia British
Protests over AfD-backed migration reforms draw 20,000 in Hamburg

Protests over AfD-backed migration reforms draw 20,000 in Hamburg

By Grazia British

Culture

More than 20,000 people demonstrated in the northern German city of Hamburg on Friday against efforts by the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to push through reforms to migration laws in parliament with the support of the far right.

Germany has seen a wave of protests in recent days after the opposition CDU passed a non-binding motion to reform migration laws in the Bundestag on Wednesday with votes from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

While another bill narrowly failed in parliament on Friday, the latest protests drew Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschatenscher, the chairman of the St. Pauli football club and various other left-wing figures, with demonstrators forming a human chain.

Another large demonstration is planned for Saturday in Hamburg over the issue, with organizers expecting tens of thousands of participants.

People take part in a demonstration on migration policy under the slogan "Stop Merz and AfD - defend the right to asylum" in Hamburg's city center. German lawmakers rejected highly controversial migration legislation brought by the centre-right CDU/CSU opposition bloc on Friday in the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag. Christian Charisius/dpa
People take part in a demonstration on migration policy under the slogan "Stop Merz and AfD - defend the right to asylum" in Hamburg's city center. German lawmakers rejected highly controversial migration legislation brought by the centre-right CDU/CSU opposition bloc on Friday in the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag. Christian Charisius/dpa
People take part in a demonstration on migration policy under the slogan "Stop Merz and AfD - defend the right to asylum" in Hamburg's city center. German lawmakers rejected highly controversial migration legislation brought by the centre-right CDU/CSU opposition bloc on Friday in the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag. Christian Charisius/dpa
People take part in a demonstration on migration policy under the slogan "Stop Merz and AfD - defend the right to asylum" in Hamburg's city center. German lawmakers rejected highly controversial migration legislation brought by the centre-right CDU/CSU opposition bloc on Friday in the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag. Christian Charisius/dpa

Originally published by yahoo.com. Syndicated material does not necessarily reflect the views of Grazia British.

More Culture