German police brace up for new anti-migrant rally after days of violence

German police on Thursday brace up for fresh anti-immigrant rally in the eastern city of Chemnitz after two similar protests resulted in clashes and attacks against foreigners.

Far-right group Pro Chemnitz wrote on Facebook, where it has 18,00 followers, that it would stage a protest at 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) near a football stadium in the city.

An Interior Ministry spokesperson said police in Saxony, the state where Chemnitz is located, have requested back-up from federal police.

State police came under fire for policing a Monday rally that drew 7,000 people with less than 600 officers.

Michael Kretschmer, state premier of Saxony, and Chemnitz mayor Barbara Ludwig were to hold a citizens’ forum to discuss the days of unrest an hour after the latest rally was set to start Thursday.

The stabbing to death of a German man – allegedly at the hands of a Syrian and an Iraqi – at a street festival early Sunday sparked a spontaneous rally the same day.

A much larger rally held on Monday that included clashes and random attacks on foreigners.

The violence was fuelled by false information on social media about the circumstances of the crime, including the claim that the victim had been defending a woman from the asylum seekers.

Police debunked that claim, saying only that it had been a fight between two groups.