Violent clashes continue in Germany as left-wing protesters clash with police over conviction of neo-Nazi attacker

Representative image. PA

For the second night in a row, left-wing protesters and police clashed in Leipzig, Germany, in response to the sentencing of a woman convicted of vigilante attacks on neo-Nazis.

Protesters in Leipzig set up roadblocks, set fires and threw rocks at police officers, sparking clashes and unrest, according to police reports.

The woman, known as Lina E, was sentenced to five years in prison but was released on bail pending an appeal as she had already been in custody since 2020.

Despite an earlier ban on the protest in the town, which was Lina E’s former place of study, around 1,500 people defied the ban and rallied. Reuters news agency reported that about a third of protesters were prone to violence, as a police spokesman said.

Saturday’s violent clashes followed similar incidents the previous night, where hundreds lit bonfires in the street and threw rocks at police vehicles from buildings.

Lina E was seen as a leading figure in a far-left group responsible for waging a brutal and protracted campaign of violence against the far-right, including assaults with hammers, iron bars and bats baseball.

Following Lina E’s guilty verdict, far-left protests erupted in several cities, with police becoming targets of bottle-throwing, fireworks and baseball bat attacks.

Besides Lina E, three other men who were convicted alongside her were also sentenced to prison on Wednesday.

The decision to release Lina E after two and a half years in detention has sparked outrage from some Germans who believe it sends the message that violence against the far right is acceptable.

Lina E, believed to be ill, was forced to hand over her identity card and passport pending the outcome of her appeal.

(With agency contributions)

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