Overview

• The 35-person protest slated for July was officially called off after AfD MP Sandro Scheer proposed the substitute public discussion with Mayor Palmer.
• Palmer framed the debate offer as consistent with his conviction that open argumentation counters extremist ideologies more effectively than bans.
• Officials set the podium discussion for early September to comply with the six-month blackout before the March 8, 2026, state elections in Baden-Württemberg.
• Police and municipal staff are gearing up security measures at the indoor forum over concerns it could normalize a right-wing extremist–classified party.
• Retail associations in Tübingen had urged the mayor to reschedule the street rally to prevent losses during the summer clearance, and officials warned the protest would have triggered mass counterdemonstrations and a citywide bus shutdown.