The people rallied against the meeting of the AFD party. Two policemen were injured in the clashes with protesters, Bild newspaper reported.
One of the protesters attacked a deputy of the AFD. "A person in a mask struck with a wooden stick. The policeman stood between [the attacker and the lawmaker] and was wounded," a police representative told the German media outlet.
Four thousand law enforcers have been at the site of the protest; some have been detained. The security measures are being made amid the possibility of unrest in the city that could be provoked by AfD's opponents in Cologne.
Jetzt Ausschreitungen vorm Rheinufer-Tunnel, #Polizei nimmt einzelne Demonstranten fest #koeln2204 pic.twitter.com/ZCnLSNwDOu
— Frank Schneider (@chefreporterNRW) 22 апреля 2017 г.
According to Bild, up to 50,000 may take part in the rally.
#koeln2204 just now #Cologne is colourful pic.twitter.com/HSXwbPy3HP
— EmmaSengsta (@EmmaSengsta) 22 апреля 2017 г.
Earlier it was reported that Cologne authorities have decided to establish a no-fly zone over the city center ahead of a meeting of the AFD, to be on April 22-23.
#koeln2204 thousands participate pic.twitter.com/DzCoZkdQir
— Thomas Occupy (@ThomasOccupy) 22 апреля 2017 г.
TEAR DOWN THE WALLS! #Köln2204 pic.twitter.com/MziwHbDUzj
— FrauMaja🦄 (@FrauMaja) 22 апреля 2017 г.
Nevertheless, support for the party has decreased recently according to polls. A survey conducted by Forsa showed on Wednesday that AfD would be still able to pass the threshold of 5 percent making it eligible to enter Germany's parliament. According to the poll, a total of 8 percent of German citizens would choose the party if elections took place on Sunday, in comparison to 10 percent in February.
Germans are expected to vote on September 24 in a general election that will elect a new government and chancellor. This will be the second federal election the populist AfD will take place in. In 2013, the party gained only 4.7 percent of votes, failing to win seats in the Bundestag
