On May Day 2018, CGE was part of a broad coalition of NGO’s, social movements, informal groups and individual citizens who got together behind the slogan “Nazis Mattsetzen” to protest against the attempt from NPD of claiming the International Worker’s Day as a nationalist holiday and spreading hate and racism around Erfurt unopposed.
Part of the CGE team stayed in front of Heimbetriebsgesellschaft, a refugee home close to the planned route of the far-right demonstration, in order to make sure that the refugees felt safe and knew that most Erfurters are happy to have them here! Other elements of our team went on the several blockades that tried to peacefully stop the Nazis from marching through Erfurt. Although the march still happened and, therefore, we didn’t succeed in “Mattsetzen” the Nazis, they were largely outnumbered by the citizens of Erfurt, who took the streets and showed without room for doubt that this city and its’ inhabitants will not stand for hate, racism and xenophobia, but will instead stand together against it.
Later in the night, and because May Day is about celebrating workers’ victories and creating new alliances, CGE organized a Movie Night at Heimbetriebsgesellschaft, where we showed Pride (2014), a movie which portrays the alliance between a group of Lesbians and Gays and the striking miners during the 80’s. We were wonderfully welcomed by the community, who helped us with logistical problems and brought food to share with us, showing us that we couldn’t have found a better way to finish the First of May: having an amazing show of solidarity between people from all over the world, to remind us that the only way to respond to the threats and hate of the far-right is by uniting and supporting each other.
Solidarity Forever
For the Union Makes Us Strong!
