BERLIN, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday condemned violent far-right protests that have taken place in the eastern city of Chemnitz over the past two days.
Speaking to the press in Berlin, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader emphasized that her government could not tolerate citizens' resorting to lynch justice rather than turning to the responsible security authorities to resolve incidents of crime.
"We have video material of angry mobs chasing down civilians and of open hatred on the street, neither of which is compatible with the rule of law," Merkel said.
The chancellor's comments were made in reference to two demonstrations organized by far-right organizations in Chemnitz, Saxony which left at least 20 people injured according to local police.
The rallies were inspired by a fatal knife attack on a 35-year-old German in the city on Sunday in which a 22-year-old Syrian and a 23-year-old Iraqi national are suspected of manslaughter.
In spite of having warned themselves that further demonstrations were likely to take place in the city, police admitted that staffing levels were initially insufficient to prevent clashes between far-right and anti-Nazi groups which mobilized on the streets on Monday night. Police officers struggled to keep the "Pro Chemnitz" protestors, supported by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party amongst others, and a simultaneous "Chemnitz Nazifrei" (German for Chemnitz free of Nazis) march apart.
Questioned by the press on Tuesday whether police in Chemnitz were still in control of the situation, Merkel insisted that local security forces were doing their best to prevent further violence. At the same time, she welcomed an offer by interior minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) to offer Saxon state authorities federal assistance to "restore law and order" in the city.
Merkel also used the opportunity to express her condolences to the family of the victim of the knife attack during Sunday's violent brawl. "I deeply regret this fatality," she said. At the same time, the chancellor stressed that the incident "in no way justified" inciting violence as witnessed during the past days.
