BERLIN, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Up to 500 right-wing activists have marched through the small town of Koethen in East Germany, following a fatal incident in which German locals clashed with asylum seekers, the state government of Saxony-Anhalt confirmed on Monday.
The march was inspired by the death of a 22-year-old German who was allegedly killed in a fight with two Afghan asylum seekers in Koethen on Saturday, although the circumstances of his death are as yet still unclear.
Anne-Marie Keding, the regional justice minister of Saxony-Anhalt, told press that there was no evidence of potentially lethal injuries sustained by the individual who had most likely succumbed to a heart attack instead.
Keding emphasized that all that authorities could say with certainty so far was that there had been some form of conflict between at least two Germans, including the 22-year-old, and the two Afghan asylum seekers in question. She also urged German citizens not to pay attention to wild speculations on the internet.
Although the exact nature of the incident are still uncertain, it led to the spontaneous organization of a "march of sorrow" which was joined by around 2,500 protestors in total, including many supporters of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Speaking to press on Monday, Holger Stahlknecht, the interior minister of Saxony-Anhalt, cautioned against placing the protestors under collective suspicion of being "right-wing or far-right".
A now viral video made by a French journalist during the march shows protestors publicly chanting illegal slogans.
Stahlknecht said judicial authorities in his state would "examine the evidence very carefully" and file criminal charges where necessary. Another march has been scheduled to take place in Koethen on Monday and will be accompanied by a high police presence to prevent a re-run of chaotic scenes witnessed recently in Chemnitz.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has recently accused the AfD of using the regretful death of a man to incite hatred against foreigners in Germany. AfD politicians helped to organize marches in Chemnitz, some of which escalated into violent clashes with civilians. "It is legitimate to go berserk after this kind of crime," AfD deputy leader Alexander Gauland said at the time. Enditem
BERLIN, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Up to 500 right-wing activists have marched through the small town of Koethen in East Germany, following a fatal incident in which German locals clashed with asylum seekers, the state government of Saxony-Anhalt confirmed on Monday.
The march was inspired by the death of a 22-year-old German who was allegedly killed in a fight with two Afghan asylum seekers in Koethen on Saturday, although the circumstances of his death are as yet still unclear.
Anne-Marie Keding, the regional justice minister of Saxony-Anhalt, told press that there was no evidence of potentially lethal injuries sustained by the individual who had most likely succumbed to a heart attack instead.
Keding emphasized that all that authorities could say with certainty so far was that there had been some form of conflict between at least two Germans, including the 22-year-old, and the two Afghan asylum seekers in question. She also urged German citizens not to pay attention to wild speculations on the internet.
Although the exact nature of the incident are still uncertain, it led to the spontaneous organization of a "march of sorrow" which was joined by around 2,500 protestors in total, including many supporters of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Speaking to press on Monday, Holger Stahlknecht, the interior minister of Saxony-Anhalt, cautioned against placing the protestors under collective suspicion of being "right-wing or far-right".
A now viral video made by a French journalist during the march shows protestors publicly chanting illegal slogans.
Stahlknecht said judicial authorities in his state would "examine the evidence very carefully" and file criminal charges where necessary. Another march has been scheduled to take place in Koethen on Monday and will be accompanied by a high police presence to prevent a re-run of chaotic scenes witnessed recently in Chemnitz.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has recently accused the AfD of using the regretful death of a man to incite hatred against foreigners in Germany.
AfD politicians helped to organize marches in Chemnitz, some of which escalated into violent clashes with civilians. "It is legitimate to go berserk after this kind of crime," AfD deputy leader Alexander Gauland said at the time.
