POLICE clashed with tens of thousands of protesters in Essen on Saturday as they demonstrated against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD’s) party conference.

Officers used pepper spray and truncheons as they fought back crowds seeking to break through security cordons to access the venue, while other anti-fascists tried to block roads to prevent delegates getting in.

While most demonstrators were peaceful, North Rhine-Westphalia Police said some had attacked officers, two of whom had been hospitalised.