Demonstrators take part in a protest event under the slogan "Defend democracy" in front of the Reichstag building.
© dpa
100,000 people have now registered for the human chain for democracy and against right-wing extremism this Saturday at the Reichstag building in Berlin, which has been announced for some time.
The human chain of demonstrators around the Reichstag is planned for midday under the motto "We are the firewall". According to the organizer alliance "Hand in Hand" it was intended as a reaction to the AfD and the upcoming elections. Many hundreds of groups and initiatives are supporting the call.
The organizers appealed: "Hand in hand - take action now in solidarity. We call on you to stop watching the right-wing normalization in Germany and Europe." The firewall of democratic parties against the right is "crumbling enormously". Society must do "what political parties are currently unable to do": Defend democracy and human rights.
Supporters include numerous small initiatives as well as large organizations such as the trade unions Verdi, GEW and IG Metall, Amnesty International, Attac, BUND, Caritas, the Protestant Church, refugee aid organizations and the climate protest groups Extinction Rebellion and Letzte Generation. Berlin's Senator for Integration Cansel Kiziltepe also announced her participation in the human chain on Friday: "We belong in this city, we are part of Berlin!"
ccording to the Berlin Traffic Information Center (VIZ), road users can expect restrictions in Tiergarten on Saturday. Extensive closures will be put in place as early as the morning in the government district, Scheidemannstraße, Dorotheenstraße, Paul-Löbe-Allee and Reichstagufer. The Straße des 17. Juni and the Washingtonplatz area are also expected to be closed during the course of the day. Considerable restrictions are also expected at the Brandenburg Gate, Bundestag and Hauptbahnhof stations due to the expected volume of passengers.