This archive report was first published on 16 May 2020.
On May 16, 2020, thousands of protesters in Germany took to the streets, sparking alarm and concern among the government and citizens alike.
Initially, the protests were small, with a handful of demonstrators decrying the tough restrictions on public life aimed at halting the transmission of the coronavirus. However, in recent weeks, the demonstrations have swelled to gatherings of thousands in major German cities.
According to reports, more than 5,000 people gathered in Stuttgart, at least 1,500 in Frankfurt, and around 1,000 in Munich. The protesters, who included conspiracy theorists, anti-vaxxers, and extremists, held placards with slogans such as 'Corona is fake' and 'Isolation, Masks, Tracking, Vaccine — that's a no go.'
Police in Berlin made 200 arrests as scuffles broke out, while in Hamburg, conspiracy theorists clashed with anti-lockdown protesters.
The growing demonstrations have sparked comparison to the anti-Muslim Pegida marches at the height of Europe's refugee crisis in 2015, raising questions over whether the strong support that Chancellor Angela Merkel is currently enjoying due to her handling of the virus crisis could evaporate.
Just as it won popularity by fanning anti-migrant sentiment five years ago, the far-right AfD party is now openly encouraging protesters and repositioning itself as an anti-lockdown party.
A recent poll commissioned by the Spiegel news magazine found that almost one in four Germans surveyed voiced 'understanding' for the demonstrations.
