Two days before the anniversary of the destruction of Dresden in the Second World War, hundreds of people gathered for demonstrations in Saxony's state capital on Sunday. A wide range of counter-protests had been announced against a march by right-wing extremists. According to the police, a total of 18 gatherings were reported, two from the right, 15 from the left and one from civil society. The police were deployed with a large contingent.
At around midday, the participants of the various demonstrations initially gathered, as reported by a dpa reporter. The police had previously set the goal of separating the camps and intervening in the event of possible blockades. According to the Saxon police, they were supported by officers from Thuringia, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Bavaria and Hesse as well as the federal police.
Dresden was heavily destroyed in Allied air raids from February 13, 1945. According to research by historians, up to 25,000 people lost their lives. Right-wing extremists have been using the commemoration for years to organize so-called funeral marches.
