Big pro-refugee demonstration in Munich, Germany

This 22 July 2018 video, by the (conservative) German Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, is about a big demonstration, big though it was raining cats and dogs, in Munich, Bavaria today against the crackdown on immigration and refugees by German Interior Minister Seehofer. One of the slogans at the demonstration said “Souvlaki [originally Greek immigrants’ dish] statt Seehofer“. Another banner said: ‘No to war‘.

Translated from Dutch NOS TV:

Tens of thousands in Munich on the move against harsher immigration policy

Today, 17:45

In Munich, some tens of thousands of people have demonstrated against the rightward turn in politics and the harsh crackdown on immigrants. The protest was mainly aimed at the asylum policy of the CSU, the sister party of the CDU of Chancellor Merkel.

According to the police there were over 20,000 protesters, but the organizers say almost 50,000. The slogan of the demonstration was “#ausgehetzt – together against the politics of fear“.

More than one hundred organizations, churches and trade unions had called for the demonstration. They blame CSU leader [and federal interior minister] Seehofer, Bavarian Prime Minister Söder and CSU MPs Group Chairman Dobrindt for “an irresponsible policy of sowing divisions”. Seehofer had a conflict with Merkel because he wanted a much harsher asylum policy. They recently concluded a compromise.

According to the organizations, hatred and discrimination are increasing by a rightward turn in society and in the government and there is an attack on freedom and human rights. The demonstration was peaceful.