According to official figures from the Ministry of the Interior, around 20,000 people participated in the demonstrations, while organizers estimated nearly 50,000 attendees. Clashes with police left at least nine officers injured, and several people were detained during the day. 

Meanwhile, AfD confirmed its current leadership at the congress. Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla were reelected as federal co-chairs, solidifying their leadership after the party’s historic second-place finish in the June European elections, where they received 15.9% of the vote, surpassing the three parties in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition. T

he event took place under strict security due to the massive presence of protesters opposing the party. 

AfD aims to strengthen its position in Europe, despite being expelled in May from the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) parliamentary group.

This move followed controversial statements by Maximilian Krah, the party’s European Parliament leader, who downplayed the crimes of SS members during World War II, sparking outrage and prompting ID to distance itself. 

Krah also faces legal scrutiny: his assistant Jian Guo was arrested in April for alleged espionage for China, and both Krah and Petr Bystron, AfD’s number two candidate, are under investigation for possible ties to Russia.

Krah was even questioned by the FBI in the United States over suspected payments from Kremlin-linked sources, while Bystron is alleged to have participated in a Moscow-backed disinformation campaign. 

Germany’s far-right AfD grows despite protests, scrutiny, and extremist concerns

Despite these controversies and the party being monitored by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which considers AfD a potential extremist organization, the party continues to grow. Chrupalla reported a 60% increase in membership since January 2023, reaching 46,881 members. 

Protests in Essen were particularly intense, with demonstrators attempting to block access to the congress venue, forcing police to intervene with pepper spray and batons. Several AfD leaders were escorted for safety. 

Anti-fascist protests started in #Essen against the party convention of #AfD. A cat and mouse game between protesters and police started all over the city.#e2906 #Antifa #Bundesparteitag pic.twitter.com/I8baAY6G4N

— the brake (@TheBrakeNet) June 29, 2024

In a symbolic gesture, the city raised EU and LGBTI+ flags to mark Pride Day, in direct contrast to the party’s agenda. 

Essen’s mayor, Thomas Kufen, even tried to cancel the venue contract after it was revealed that a secret meeting in Potsdam had discussed plans to expel millions of migrants, including naturalized citizens.

These actions, combined with the international ties of some party leaders, keep AfD at the center of controversy and under close watch by intelligence services in Germany.