Overview
- The AfD’s two‑day meeting to found a new youth organization remains set for 29–30 November at the Hessenhallen in Gießen.
- Left‑wing networks are mobilizing large counter‑protests, with reports citing up to 40,000 participants and roughly 180 chartered buses, and some online calls use incendiary language about setting the city ablaze.
- Police and the Hessian interior ministry are preparing a major operation with reinforcements from other states and the Federal Police, and 17 counter‑demonstrations are officially registered.
- Messe Gießen employees report harassment and removed their names from the company website, and police offered training on personal safety measures for staff and families.
- Hotels, the event’s caterer and a long‑time concert partner have canceled or withdrawn, while local authorities signal traffic restrictions and say businesses may choose to close that weekend.