Thousands of far-right demonstrators rally on 75th anniversary of Dresden bombings amid 'Nazi emergency'

Far-right groups converged on Dresden to take park in a march to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the bombings of the German city in World War II.

Far-right groups converged on Dresden to take park in a march to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the bombings of the German city in World War II.

Participants in Saturday's (February 15) rally included members of Pegida, AfD and Neo-Nazis.

A large contingent of Antifa and anti-fascists also demonstrated in the Saxony city, with hundreds of police attempting to keep the two sides apart.

In 2019 Dresden City Council officially declared a "Nazi emergency" amid fears over the rise of far-right groups in the eastern German city.

Last week, the AfD threw German politics into turmoil by unexpectedly backing a centrist candidate as governor in Thuringia state.

The fumbled reaction to the situation by two other political parties — including Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right Christian Democrats — triggered widespread outrage and numerous resignations, including that of Merkel’s heir apparent, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer.