Hundreds of arrests at AfD Congress

stuttgart - Before the start of the party congress of the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Stuttgart is Saturday came to clashes between demonstrators and police. About four hundred demonstrators were taken into custody, police said.

Police said several hundred violent left autonomists, who had come to the party congress with iron bars and wooden slats. They tried to block a garage and set tires on fire, said a police spokesman. According to an eyewitness, the police used pepper spray.

The police have deployed more than a thousand men to avoid clashes between AfD members and leftist protesters. Also, water guns are available. have for the party congress signed up more than 2,000 AfD members.