Thousands across Austria Take Part in Protests against Far Right

GUARDIAN EUROPE: ‘Defend democracy’ events were planned for Innsbruck, Salzburg and in front of parliament building in Vienna

Thousands of Austrians have taken to the streets of the country’s three largest cities, in a spillover of protests over the rise of the far right in neighbouring Germany.

Under the slogan “defend democracy”, gatherings organised by a broad alliance of civil society organisations, NGOs, political groups, church communities and trade unions took place in Innsbruck, Salzburg, and in front of the parliament building in Vienna.

The demonstrations follow days of protests in villages, towns and cities across Germany, where more than a million people from a broad cross-section of society turned out over the past two weeks despite the cold weather and a rail strike. They have been demonstrating against the rise of the far right, in particular the populist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party after its members met the far-right Austrian Martin Sellner to discuss the mass deportation of foreigners and German citizens of foreign origin. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin | Friday, January 26, 2024