Continued Protests by Far-Right Extremists Against Immigration Policies in Germany

Protests by far-right extremists in eastern Germany against immigration policies continue. In a new wave of demonstrations, hundreds gathered in the city of Cottbus, while hundreds of police and a group of opponents were also present in the streets. Over a thousand people took to the streets of Cottbus in the Saxony-Anhalt state on September 16, carrying slogans such as 'Patriotism is not a crime' and chanting against Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany. Protesters claim that Merkel's open policies regarding the acceptance of refugees and immigrants in recent years are the cause of street violence. They blame newcomers from countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, African countries, and others for some of the disturbances and violence. The march in Cottbus is the latest example of recent protests in eastern Germany in recent weeks. Although the gatherings of the far-right have at times been accompanied by violence, reports have emerged of harassment of citizens, forcing them to present identification cards, and attacks on refugees and even teenagers. One of the universities in Cottbus had asked its students on Sunday to avoid areas that the university stated 'may be the site of violent protests.' A number of police officers, nearly equal to the number of protesters, were present in the streets of the city. Water cannons were stationed throughout the city, and nearly 500 opponents of the far-right also held an independent gathering. The police stated that the protests in this city of 26,000 were generally held without violence. Last week, far-right groups, including the group 'PEGIDA' (meaning: Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West), called for demonstrations following the death of a 22-year-old German in Cottbus. The police reported that this young man, who had heart problems, attempted to intervene in a conflict involving a group of Afghan migrants. During the incident, he was punched in the face and died from cardiac arrest. Two Afghan youths aged 18 and 20 have also been arrested. German law enforcement and security officials are concerned about the possibility of physical confrontations and violence, similar to what occurred last month following the killing of a 35-year-old man in the city of Chemnitz (Saxony). Two men, one Syrian and the other Iraqi, have been arrested in connection with the stabbing death of the 35-year-old man, and the police are searching for another migrant. In the past two days, reports have emerged of an attack on a 17-year-old Afghan teenager, three Somali citizens, and the arrest of individuals who were demanding identification cards from people in the streets without permission, claiming they were 'not similar to Germans.'