German protesters: We want to live peacefully in Europe with Russia

Supporters of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party have held a rally in Nuremberg to protest against their government's financial and military aid to Ukraine amid the conflict with Russia, calling for peace in their continent.

“We want peace with all peoples in Europe, which includes Russia as well as Ukraine. We also want to live peacefully in Europe with Russia in the future,” Tino Chrupalla, AfD party co-leader stated at the rally on Saturday.

Footage of the protest show the crowd waving flags and holding banners and placards reading 'No to German participation in the war' and 'Ami go home!' among others.

Some protesters also carried placards and flags with doves of peace, along with Germany and party flags.

“As the only party, we say unanimously and clearly diplomacy instead of arms deliveries. The arms shipments must stop and diplomacy must finally take place. That must be the goal, after a year of bloodshed,” Chrupalla added.

Talking to the crowd, deputy leader of the party, Peter Boehringer, mentioned that in the case of a world war, you don't even accept a 0.5 percent risk probability, so “Let's not allow even small misunderstandings to trigger a major war, even nuclear war under certain circumstances.”

Moreover, parallel to the AfD rally, a counter-protest was held in Nuremberg under the motto “No peace with the AfD”, while they shouted words against AfD supporters. Police at the scene separated the two rallies.

The AfD has a reputation for its pro-Russian stances among Germans. The party leaders in their speeches after the beginning of the Ukraine-Russia war have called for the lifting of sanctions against Russia and have accused German officials of declaring “economic war” on Moscow but waging war instead on the German population.

Germany, along with the US, has been among the biggest suppliers of weapons for Ukraine.

Last month the German parliament’s budget committee approved spending about eight billion Euros ($8.7 billion) to buy weapons and equipment for Ukraine between 2024 and 2032 amid Russia's repeated warnings that the Western military assistance will only prolong the conflict.

MG