Germany's government on Monday condemned a spontaneous far-right protest that involved around 800 people who took to the streets of the eastern German city of Chemnitz following the fatal stabbing of a 35-year-old German man during a fight allegedly involving several foreigners.
The demonstration, initially called for by local soccer fan association Kaotic Chemnitz, took place on Sunday and prompted police in the Saxony city to call in reinforcements as scuffles broke out.
"In Germany, there is no space for taking justice into your own hands, or for groups who wish to promote hatred, intolerance or extremism in the street," said Steffen Seibert, spokesperson for Angela Merkel's government, during a press conference.
The fatal stabbing took place during Chemnitz's local festival period.
Meanwhile, a member of the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party Markus Frohnmaier actively encouraged the protests in a tweet that remained published Monday.
"If the state can no longer protect its citizens, people go to the streets and protect themselves," he said. "Today it is the civic duty to stop the deadly 'knife migration'," he added, in allusion to his anti-immigration stance.
Seibert said the issue would be taken up by the relevant legal authorities.
