Changes

==Initial protests==

==Initial protests==

Within 24 hours, after the arrests of the Syrian and Iraqi murder suspects, the City of Chemnitz had become the major fault line in Germany’s unresolved refugee debate. The initial protests, 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.<ref>[https://www.efe.com/efe/english/world/german-government-condemns-far-right-protests-in-reaction-to-fatal-stabbing/50000262-3730868 German government condemns far-right protests in reaction to fatal stabbing]</ref>A member of the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party [[Markus Frohnmaier]] actively encouraged the protests in a tweet published on August 27. ''"If the state can no longer protect its citizens, people go to the streets and protect themselves."'' He added, ''"Today it is the civic duty to stop the deadly 'knife migration'."''<ref>[https://www.efe.com/efe/english/world/german-government-condemns-far-right-protests-in-reaction-to-fatal-stabbing/50000262-3730868 German government condemns far-right protests in reaction to fatal stabbing]</ref>

Within 24 hours, after the arrests of the Syrian and Iraqi murder suspects, the City of Chemnitz had become the major fault line in Germany's unresolved refugee debate. The initial protests, 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.<ref>[https://www.efe.com/efe/english/world/german-government-condemns-far-right-protests-in-reaction-to-fatal-stabbing/50000262-3730868 German government condemns far-right protests in reaction to fatal stabbing]</ref> A member of the conservative Alternative for Germany (AfD) party [[Markus Frohnmaier]] actively encouraged the protests in a tweet published on August 27. ''"If the state can no longer protect its citizens, people go to the streets and protect themselves."'' He added, ''"Today it is the civic duty to stop the deadly 'knife migration'."''<ref>[https://www.efe.com/efe/english/world/german-government-condemns-far-right-protests-in-reaction-to-fatal-stabbing/50000262-3730868 German government condemns far-right protests in reaction to fatal stabbing]</ref>

Many of the German protestors had been angered by Angela Merkel's pledge to take in a million refugees to fill the gap in the country's rapidly shrinking population.

Many of the German protestors had been angered by Angela Merkel's pledge to take in a million refugees to fill the gap in the country's rapidly shrinking population.

==Continued protests==

==Continued protests==

Members of the alt-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party again joined forces with conservatives in a protest march in Chemnitz on Friday August 31 that spread throughout the weekend. According to police estimates, about 6,000 supporters of the right-wing Pro Chemnitz group were at the scene, along with about 1,500 counterprotesters.

Members of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, along with other conservatives, engaged in a protest march in Chemnitz on Friday August 31 that spread throughout the weekend. According to police estimates, about 6,000 supporters of the right-wing Pro Chemnitz group were at the scene, along with about 1,500 counterprotesters.

Leaders of Germany's Alternative for Germany party and of populist group Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West wore dark suits and held white roses as they began what they called a ''"mourning march"''. Demonstrators held up placards showing portraits of murder victims of muslim migrants. The German interior minister [[Horst Seehofer]] defended the Chemnitz protesters by calling muslim migration ''"the mother of all problems"''.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6138537/Germanys-interior-minister-Horst-Seehofer-defends-Chemnitz-protesters.html 'Migration is the mother of all problems': Germany's interior minister defends Chemnitz protesters and says demonstrating 'doesn't make you a Nazi' as he sympathises with locals]</ref>

Leaders of Germany's Alternative for Germany party and of populist group Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West wore dark suits and held white roses as they began what they called a ''"mourning march"''. Demonstrators held up placards showing portraits of murder victims of muslim migrants. The German interior minister [[Horst Seehofer]] defended the Chemnitz protesters by calling muslim migration ''"the mother of all problems"''.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6138537/Germanys-interior-minister-Horst-Seehofer-defends-Chemnitz-protesters.html 'Migration is the mother of all problems': Germany's interior minister defends Chemnitz protesters and says demonstrating 'doesn't make you a Nazi' as he sympathises with locals]</ref>