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| Germany AfD meeting: Clashes before right-wing conference | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Hundreds of left-wing demonstrators have tried to block people entering a right-wing party conference in the German city of Stuttgart. | |
| The Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) party is expected to re-brand itself as openly anti-Islamic during the meeting. | The Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) party is expected to re-brand itself as openly anti-Islamic during the meeting. |
| Police, who surrounded several hundred protesters, fired pepper spray at crowds. Close to 1,000 officers were deployed. | Police, who surrounded several hundred protesters, fired pepper spray at crowds. Close to 1,000 officers were deployed. |
| The AfD wants to ban the burqa and outlaw minarets in Germany. | The AfD wants to ban the burqa and outlaw minarets in Germany. |
| Despite the protest, that saw some people carrying sticks and iron bars and burning tyres, the conference began as planned on Saturday morning. | |
| One demonstrator, Dominik Schmeiser, said: "We are united by our conviction that we cannot let the AfD go unchallenged, and that it is a party which is not only racist, but which is engaged in the politics of exclusion and social division. | |
| "We will not allow ourselves to be divided and we stand together for a compassionate society." | |
| Germany jolted by right-wing poll success | Germany jolted by right-wing poll success |
| Guide to Europe's nationalist parties | Guide to Europe's nationalist parties |
| Nearly 2,000 members of the AfD are registered to attend the conference. The party achieved gains in all three states taking part in regional elections last month, claiming almost a quarter of the vote in the relatively poor eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. | Nearly 2,000 members of the AfD are registered to attend the conference. The party achieved gains in all three states taking part in regional elections last month, claiming almost a quarter of the vote in the relatively poor eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. |
| It had campaigned against what it called Chancellor Angela Merkel's "catastrophic" decision to accept a million migrants and refugees in 2015. | It had campaigned against what it called Chancellor Angela Merkel's "catastrophic" decision to accept a million migrants and refugees in 2015. |
| In Saturday's conference, the party must agree a manifesto ahead of next year's general election. | In Saturday's conference, the party must agree a manifesto ahead of next year's general election. |
| Proposals include withdrawal from the euro and the reintroduction of conscription, but there are splits within the party, including between its less hardline wing and the leadership. | Proposals include withdrawal from the euro and the reintroduction of conscription, but there are splits within the party, including between its less hardline wing and the leadership. |
| Speaking to the conference, deputy Alexander Gauland said the AfD was a party that "has arrived in society and which is here to stay, whether the consensus parties like it or not". | |
| Before the meeting, police encircled groups of demonstrators in a technique known as kettling. Some protesters were seen being dragged away, with others chanting 'Shame on you' at officers. | |
| Police did not say how many people were arrested. | Police did not say how many people were arrested. |
| March state election results | March state election results |
| More on AfD | More on AfD |