Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in several German cities on Saturday, as part of an ongoing protest movement against far-right extremism, and fears of the growing popularity of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Saturday's protests were reported in some 30 cities, with police reporting up to 100,000 people in the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) state capital, Düsseldorf.

Other protests were also reported in the northern city of Kiel, as well as in Frankfurt, Lübeck and several other smaller cities and towns nationwide.

The demonstrations coincided with Germany's observance of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

What happened at the protests?

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius joined a protest in his hometown of Osnabrück in northwestern Germany. Pistorius warned of the dangers of the far right, saying that democracy in the country is under pressure.

The minister particularly addressed what he said were AfD plans to change the system, citing the party's outspoken anti-immigration stance.

"That means nothing other than they want to go back to the dark times of racial madness, discrimination, inequality and injustice," Pistorius told some 25,000 protesters.

He compared the Germany AfD was trying to create to Hitler's Reich.

"Today we know better, history must not be allowed to repeat itself," he said to the applause of protesters.

Kiel's Mayor Ulf Kämpfer also addressed the some 10,000 protesters who joined the rally in the Baltic Sea port city's historic main square.

"Our democracy is more stable than the democracy of 100 years ago, but let's not be too sure," he said.

Why are Germans protesting?

The wave of mobilization against the far-right party was sparked by a January 10 report from investigative outlet Correctiv, which revealed that AfD members had met with extremists in Potsdam in November to discuss expelling immigrants and "non-assimilated citizens."

Members of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the main opposition party, were reportedly also present.

Participants in the meeting discussed "remigration," a term often used in far-right circles as a euphemism for the expulsion of immigrants and minorities.

News of the meeting shocked many in Germany at a time when the AfD is riding high in opinion polls, ahead of three major regional elections in eastern Germany, where the party's support is strongest.

rmt/lo (dpa, epd)

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