Am 6. December hosted the Antifa Kassel a demonstration against the regular regulars’ table of the Alternative for Germany in the pub “Zur Marbachshöhe”. Because the regulars' table has so far taken place in secret, this will have particularly annoyed the currently rather ailing district association.
At Tuesday evening, the 06. December demonstrated around 150 People against a regulars' table of the Kasseler AfD in the restaurant “To the Marbach height”. According to Antifa Kassel, who called for the protest, let the AfD have their monthly get-together there. The visited partly over 50 party supporter, it said in the call. It has been known for a long time, that the right-wing terrorists Stephan Ernst and Markus Hartmann were also visitors to the Kassel AfD regulars' table before the murder of Walter Lübcke.
According to reports from anti-fascist groups, the restaurant has been the unofficial party office of the AfD for several years. There was more excitement 2021: The premises have been searched, since their operator Michael G. there one Counterfeiting workshop for vaccination certificates should have operated. The site also belongs to the complex of the adjacent Bundeswehr barracks, and is to serve as a canteen for the lunch menu for the Bundeswehr soldiers.
Left-right confrontation in Kassel
The Antifa demonstration in Kassel is part of a longer development of events: Over the last few years, several anti-fascist research dossiers have appeared on the Kassel AfD and reports on the left-wing internet portal indymedia have accumulated about major and minor damage to property at the private homes and offices of the Kassel party officials.
Meanwhile, the right-wing party tried to establish itself further, however, suffered a defeat in the last local elections. Rallies and events became fewer or were canceled and their already over-aged staff stagnated. After anti-fascist actions, even a local branch of the AfD in the district of Kassel dissolved, because there was a lack of willing followers.
Also the Kassel branch of the Junge Alternative (AND) collapsed in the course of the year and no longer has members on the Hesse-wide board. In addition, a youth with connections to the Kassel jail is suspected after an antifa outing and press reports, to be responsible for a bodily injury to the mayor of Kassel Nordstadt.
Just before the demonstration 6. In December, the Antifa research group task one published Photo documentation of the regulars' tables.
Dynamic demonstration against regulars' table
In this situation, the regulars' table called for a protest against one of the last functioning formats of the Kassel AfD. The anti-fascist demonstration began around 150 Participants on the forecourt of the Wilhelmshöhe train station and moved from there via Hasselweg towards the restaurant on Eugen-Richter-Straße.
Barely arrived at the restaurant, Some protesters dressed in black threw pyrotechnics, Firecrackers and items on the building. With slogans like “All of Kassel hates the AfD”, the demonstration finally moved back to the Wilhelmshöhe train station. Once there, the demonstration, which had been very dynamic until then, quickly broke up.
Despite this, there was a brief commotion in front of the restaurant, According to the organizers, none of the demonstrators were taken into custody by the police. The Antifa Kassel subsequently drew a positive balance. The demonstration was a short-term and very combative mobilization success and further increased public pressure on the AfD in Kassel.
The AfD Kassel meanwhile announced, that their regulars' table would no longer take place in the Marbachshöhe restaurant. Where and if she will continue to meet for events, remains to be seen.
