Protest against refugee accommodation plan escalates in Germany: Report

By Timur Kirez

BERLIN (AA) - An unauthorized demonstration in Greifswald in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania escalated on Monday evening.

Some demonstrators had tried to attack Greifswald Mayor Stefan Fassbinder of the Green Party, public broadcaster NDR reported Tuesday.

According to the report, the police managed to stop the attack on the mayor "with physical force as well as by using the baton."

The reason for the unannounced demonstration, in which police say around 500 people took part, was a meeting of local district representatives over a planned container village for 500 refugees.

According to a police spokesman, about 20 participants from the right-wing scene also took part in the rally. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, there have been repeated violent protests against the housing of refugees in recent weeks.

During a meeting at the end of January, there were riots against the construction of a shelter for 400 refugees in the 500-inhabitant village of Upahl in the district of Northwest Mecklenburg.

It was only with great difficulty that the police were able to prevent the violent demonstrators from gaining access to the meeting building.