Thousands rally in Cologne against AfD after Saxony-Anhalt win

Several thousand demonstrators gathered in Cologne's Heumarkt square on Tuesday evening to protest the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, following its victory in the Saxony-Anhalt state election on Sunday. The rally, which was expected to proceed as a march through the city, drew a diverse crowd waving rainbow flags and holding signs with slogans such as "Stop AfD," "Our voice is our weapon," and "Nazis out." One banner, held against the backdrop of the Cologne cathedral, read "AfD ban now."

Among the attendees was Anchalee Schley, a 34-year-old from Pulheim with a Thai migration background. She told reporters she was present because the AfD's success felt like a personal target. "I'm looking for a sense of community here," she said. Another protester, 22-year-old Lee Deutsch from Siegburg, said they were motivated by a fear of repeating past mistakes. "I am trans myself. I don't want my rights to be taken away," Deutsch explained.

Tim Scollay, an Australian-born musician who has lived in Germany for 11 years, said the rightward shift was unsurprising but called the turnout a positive sign. "We need to come together for the diversity of humanity, for open borders, for climate change," he said. The AfD fell short of an absolute majority in the Saxony-Anhalt vote, which would have allowed it to form the first far-right state government since the Nazi era, though that outcome remains possible through coalition negotiations.