Clashes in German cities after conviction of student who attacked neo-Nazis

Supporters of a young woman sentenced to a long prison term for participating in attacks on neo-Nazis and other right-wing extremists staged protests and clashed with police in some German cities following the verdict.

The state court in Dresden on Wednesday sentenced Lina E., whose full name has not been released due to secrecy rules, membership in a criminal organization and grievous bodily harm. She was sentenced to five years and three months in prison.

Several hours later, the court said she had been released under unspecified conditions after spending around 2½ years in custody before the verdict.

Prosecutors accused the student of “far-left militant ideology” and conceiving the idea of ​​attacks on far-right individuals in Leipzig and nearby towns. Three men would have joined her at the end of 2019. The Dresden court sentenced them to between 27 and 39 months in prison.

Shortly after the verdict, Germany’s top security official said federal and state police would act decisively in the event of far-left violence in the coming weeks.

On Wednesday evening, around 800 people took part in a demonstration in Leipzig, according to the police. Some then tried to cross the police lines, throwing bottles, rocks and fireworks at the officers. A laser was also pointed at a police helicopter.

There was a similar demonstration of around 800 people in the northwestern city of Bremen, while around 1,200 people demonstrated in Hamburg, where police said officers threw bottles and fireworks, German news agency dpa reported. In Berlin, around 450 people took part in a largely peaceful protest.

A larger protest is expected in Leipzig on Saturday.