The Right-Wing Party 'AfD' Calls for Ban on Minarets and Burqas in Germany

The right-wing party 'AfD' or 'Alternative for Germany' announced on Sunday that Islam is incompatible with the German constitution and called for a ban on minarets and burqas in Germany. CNN reported that the 'Alternative for Germany' party, which held a two-day conference in Stuttgart, expressed its opposition to burqas and minarets during this meeting. Over a thousand opponents of the party protested outside the conference venue on Saturday, attempting to prevent party members from entering. Violence and clashes between supporters of the party and opponents led to police intervention, resulting in nearly 500 arrests. Protesters clashed with police by throwing fireworks and burning car tires. Stuttgart police stated that more than 2,000 members of the 'Alternative for Germany' party intended to attend the conference but faced opposition from protesters. On Sunday, opponents of the party also protested outside the conference venue. According to Reuters, this party does not have a representative in the German parliament, but half of the members of 16 local governments in the country are affiliated with AfD. Based on polls, this right-wing party has the support of 14% of the German population and could pose a serious challenge to Chancellor Angela Merkel's party in the local elections in 2017. According to Reuters, Hans Thomas Tilschneider, a legislator from the Saxony-Anhalt parliament, stated that 'Islam is foreign to us, and for this reason, it cannot benefit from the principle of freedom of religion to the same extent as Christianity.' This statement was met with prolonged applause from the party's supporters. Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, has consistently emphasized religious freedom and its guarantee in the country's constitution, stating that Islam belongs to Germany.