Clashes in Ludwigslust: AfD and vigil meet!

Clashes in Ludwigslust: AfD and vigil meet!

Ludwigslust experienced an exciting and emotionally charged Thursday on August 30, 2025, when the AfD member of the Bundestag, Leif-Erik Holm, visited the weekly market. In the middle of this summer tour, a vigil against the right took place on Alexandrinenplatz. Both events were properly registered, but participants from both sides soon clashed.

The police, represented by Gilbert Küchler, head of the Ludwigslust police station, reported acoustic disturbances and verbal arguments. Emotions ran high, leading to both AfD supporters and counter-protesters informing police authorities. At around 10:20 a.m., two patrol car crews were called into action to calm the situation and keep the two parties apart.

Riot and consequences

The incident led to a polemical exchange of blows that resulted in two official complaints. A complaint for insults against participants in the vigil and a second for damage to property - a cable from a loudspeaker at the vigil was cut. The police remained on site until the end of the events around midday to monitor the situation. Fortunately, no further incidents occurred.

This confrontation in Ludwigslust fits into a larger context of protests against right-wing extremism that are currently underway across Germany. Last weekend, thousands of people gathered in Schleswig-Holstein for a vigil against the right. In Lübeck, organizers spoke of 4,000 participants, while the police estimated the number at around 2,000. There were many children and young people among the demonstrators with creative posters such as “Don’t Nazi, be happy!” and “You are so disgusting AFD” took to the streets.

The same thing happened to the protesters on Sylt, where around 600 to 1,000 people, depending on the source, held a demonstration. Here, too, speakers from local politics reiterated the importance of resistance to right-wing extremist sentiments.

The trend continues

The protests against right-wing extremism have gained momentum since the beginning of 2023. Over 1.7 million people have already taken part in campaigns. According to police figures, a major protest in Munich in February 2025 attracted 250,000 people, while organizers spoke of 320,000. Such figures make it clear that resistance to the AfD and its possible alliances with right-wing extremist forces is increasing.

The background for this wave of political mobilization is not only current disputes, but also revelations about, among other things, secret meetings between AfD politicians and right-wing extremists. Survivors of the Holocaust and other critics have been warning for years about a return of right-wing extremist ideologies and calling for remembering and action.

It remains to be seen how these developments will continue to unfold. What is certain is that the citizens of Ludwigslust and beyond are willing to stand up against such tendencies. One thing is certain: the discussion about the future of our society is far from over.

Further demonstrations against right-wing extremism are already planned for the coming days in Flensburg, Bad Bramstedt and the Plön district, which indicates a continued awareness and increasing willingness of people to stand up against injustice. The coming months and years could be decisive for how we in Germany deal with these challenges.

For detailed information on further protests and their planning, please visit Northern Courier, NDR and RND.