Thousands Rally in Berlin to Protest Gov't Policies, Call for Lifting Russian Sanctions

MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - Several thousand protesters assembled outside the Reichstag, a historic government building in Berlin that houses the lower house of the German parliament, to show their disapproval of the government's policies and calling on the authorities to lift sanctions against Russia, a Sputnik correspondent reports.

The demonstration, held under the banner "Our Country First," was staged by the opposition right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

The participants blamed the government for rampant prices, inadequate social policies and called for the sanctions on Russian oil and gas supplies to be lifted.

Some activists could be seen waving German and Russian flags and carrying posters that said "I want Russian gas and oil" and "Those who remain silent today will freeze tomorrow". Others were holding signs both in German and in Russian.

In September, the AfD party announced its protest campaign to express dissatisfaction with a sharp increase in food and energy prices in Germany and demand an end to the economic war, the lifting of anti-Russian sanctions and the commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The first protests were held in the German cities of Leipzig and Magdeburg, among others and gathered several thousand people.

Western countries have increased sanctions pressure on Russia since the start of the special operation in Ukraine. Disruption in supply chains has led to higher fuel and food prices across the EU, driving inflation to record levels and causing the cost of living to soar.