High Costs for Police Deployment at Anti-AfD Protests - Massive police operation in Giessen as 25,000 protest AfD's youth launch
A major police operation took place in Giessen during protests against the launch of the AfD's new youth organisation. Over 120 police officers from Rhineland-Palatinate joined forces with thousands of colleagues from across Germany. The event drew around 25,000 demonstrators, most of whom remained peaceful.
The protests in Giessen saw a significant police presence, with several thousand police officers deployed from 15 federal states, including federal police. Rhineland-Palatinate contributed 123 police officers, primarily from the State Police Headquarters for Operations, Logistics, and Technology. An additional four police officers came from regional headquarters in Rhine-Palatinate, Trier, Mainz, and West Palatinate.
Clashes erupted between police officers and some demonstrators, resulting in injuries to more than 50 police officers and a number of protesters. Despite the unrest, all 123 Rhineland-Palatinate police officers returned without harm. The deployment cost the state over €253,000 in personnel expenses alone.
Meanwhile, the vast majority of the 25,000 protesters focused on peaceful demonstrations against the AfD and its youth wing.
The operation in Giessen required extensive coordination, with police officers from multiple states ensuring security. While clashes caused injuries, Rhineland-Palatinate's contingent of police officers completed their duties without incident. The financial and logistical scale of the deployment highlights the operation's complexity.
