Red flames in Jena: Over 6,000 for Antifa against the right!

Red flames in Jena: Over 6,000 for Antifa against the right!

On June 14, 2025, over 6,000 people came together in Jena to send a strong signal against state repression and right-wing extremist violence under the motto “Antifa is necessary”. This demonstration, organized by a broad coalition of anti-fascist groups, attracted approximately twice as many participants as originally expected, underscoring the importance of this event. The demonstration site, the square in front of the Jentower, was bathed in an impressive red by the participants with smoke from Bengal torches. Firecrackers and firecrackers also created an impressive picture, like that Jungle.World reported.

Such a gathering is particularly important in Jena, as the main perpetrators of the National Socialist Underground (NSU) come from there. The mood was therefore characterized by a strong sense of solidarity. The participants not only expressed their support for the victims of right-wing violence, but also showed their determination with regard to the extradition of Maja T., an anti-fascist activist. She was illegally extradited to Hungary a year ago and is standing trial there for serious bodily harm and membership in a criminal organization. During the demonstration, Maja T's father urged participants to refrain from violence and called for better treatment and prison conditions for his daughter, such as the Jena news notice.

A clear signal against extremism

The speeches at the demonstration were specifically directed against right-wing extremism and xenophobia. In view of the still increasing number of right-wing extremist crimes in Germany, which was reflected in a remarkable increase to 37,835 crimes in 2024, the urgency of these protests was once again made clear. Those too Page of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution points out that the potential number of violent right-wing extremists was recently estimated at around 15,300 people.

There were some altercations during the event, which led to five offenses being registered, including attempted and aggravated assault by pyrotechnics. A total of three police officers and two civilians were slightly injured, which prompted the police to be present with several hundred people from Thuringia, Bavaria and Saxony. Traffic restrictions also disrupted the city's inner city area for several hours, but this did not diminish the demonstrators' determination.

Given the social and political dynamics, it is to be hoped that such large demonstrations will not only remain visible but also noticeable to a broad public in order to focus on the ongoing threat posed by right-wing extremism and the social tensions associated with it.