MASS protests against the far right resumed across Germany at the weekend.

At least 150,000 people gathered in front of the German national parliament on Saturday afternoon in the latest in a string of large weekend demonstrations across the country.

The pro-democracy demonstrations started three weeks ago after investigative journalists’ group Correctiv revealed that right-wing extremists had recently met to discuss deporting millions of immigrants, including some with German citizenship. 

Some members of the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) were present at the meeting.

Organisers said that protests across the country drew around 250,000 people and included other cities including Freiburg and Hanover.

Under the slogan “We are the Firewall” — a reference to the longstanding taboo against collaborating with the far right in German politics — protesters turned the space next to the Bundestag into a sea of signs, flags and umbrellas.

People travelled from across Germany to attend Saturday’s protest, saying it was important to show their opposition to racism and caution against repeating history.

Jonas Schmidt, who came from the western port city of Bremen, said: “We absolutely must not allow the stories that we experienced in 1930 or even back in the 1920s to happen again.

“We must do everything we can to prevent that.”

Another protester, Kathrin Zauter, said: “This encourages everyone and shows that we are more — we are many.”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised the protests, writing in a Saturday post on X that citizens’ presence at the gatherings is “a strong sign for democracy and our constitution.

“In small and big cities across the country, citizens are coming together to demonstrate against forgetting, against hate and incitement.”

Recent polling put the AfD in second place nationally with support hovering around 20 per cent.