Querdenker demo in Göttingen: Cancellation ensures protest wave

Querdenker demo in Göttingen: Cancellation ensures protest wave

Göttingen, Deutschland - in Göttingen it remains turbulent, because the demonstration of the "lateral thinker" movement planned for the 3rd and 4th October was canceled. The decision came as a surprise, and the reason makes you take notice: A "private health emergency" by the co -organizer Michael Schele led to the shift in the event. A new appointment has not yet been determined, but Schele emphasized that the demo was only postponed.

The city administration received the corresponding cancellation by email at the weekend. The event should have started with a car collar on Friday, followed by a rally and a demonstration on Saturday. The preparations had already started weeks ago, and around 2000 participants were expected for the car collar and for the demonstration.

protest against "transverse thinking"

Although the "lateral thinkers" cannot carry out their rally, the Göttingen Alliance has already announced protest actions against the right under the motto "Cross -thinking - we are already there". With a total of over 2,600 expected participants, numerous counter -events have also been reported against the “lateral thinkers”, including the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) and the Green Youth.

In order to clarify the explosiveness of the topic, the initiative "Grandma's Against Right" listed in an open letter that it requested a critical examination of the "lateral thinkers" demonstration including possible requirements. They recognize the right to freedom of expression and assembly, but are skeptical, since earlier assemblies of the "lateral thinkers" were repeatedly shaped by problematic goals.

memories of past demonstrations

Past “lateral thinkers” meetings, like the last in February, show the split atmosphere in Göttingen. At that time, around 140 “lateral thinkers” competed against an estimated 5000 counter -demonstrators. The police were in use with around 2,000 forces to stabilize the situation. Citizens' initiatives have mobilized heavily in recent years; In 2023 and 2024 there were already over 500 mobilized people from the "transverse thinking" environment.

The opposition to the “lateral thinkers” is growing, and in the past protest campaigns with street blocks have been organized again and again, in which the police were forced to intervene. On February 2, 2025, for example, the number of “lateral thinkers” was only around 150, while almost 5000 people attended the counter -protests. It was not with peaceful demonstrations, because there were also riots in which the police and demo participants were attacked with pyrotechnics and other objects.

The ideology of the "lateral thinker"

But what is behind the "lateral thinker" movement? It was created in early 2020 and is not only assigned to the right -wing extremist spectrum, but has many interfaces to extremist ideologies. People who describe themselves as "lateral thinkers" reject vaccinations and sometimes combine their views with conspiracy theories. The origin and development of this movement were also carefully pursued by the protection of the constitution, since parts of the movement are classified as constitutional.

While the plans for the "lateral thinkers" demo are now on ice, it remains to be seen how the situation in Göttingen is developing and which new forms of resistance and protests could arise. In recent years, the city and its citizens have proven that they have been determined to position themselves against all forms of extremism and to actively stand up for a solidarity and democratic society.

For more information about the developments, the Göttingen Tageblatt remains an important medium. If you want to learn more about the background, you can currently do the article on Göttinger Tageblatt , the NDR at bpb.de