Dispute between Palmer and AfD Leader Persists Amidst Disruptions - Dispute between Palmer and the leader of AfD persists amidst disturbances
On the evening of March 21, 2018, a heated debate took place in the heart of Tübingen between Mayor Boris Palmer and the AfD state leader, Markus Frohnmaier. The event, moderated by Professor Joachim Knape of the University of Tübingen, was a result of an agreement between Palmer and the AfD, with the AfD forgoing their demo in exchange for a public debate.
The debate covered six key topics: freedom of speech, climate protection, internal security and migration, housing and social affairs, economic location of Baden-Württemberg, and democracy and rule of law. However, the initial proceedings were disrupted by over a thousand demonstrators, according to police reports, who considered the debate futile, as they believed AfD voters do not care about facts.
The demonstration, initially peaceful, saw occasional scuffles between police and protesters on the fringes. In response, a massive police presence was stationed around the hall, with numerous police vehicles seen in the side streets and officers controlling access to the cordoned-off area.
Mayor Palmer and Frohnmaier rarely engaged directly, with Frohnmaier rarely responding to Palmer's statements. This led to a series of back-and-forth exchanges, with Palmer justifying his exclusion of disruptors by invoking his right as mayor, and Frohnmaier accusing Palmer of not being able to read statistics correctly.
Palmer countered Frohnmaier's statement about internal security with crime statistics, stating that the number of crimes last year was 5.5 million, compared to 6.3 million in 2000. In response, Frohnmaier accused Palmer of misinterpreting the statistics.
As the evening progressed, numerous disruptors were removed from the hall, and exclusion orders were issued. The conversation on the podium began only after many disruptors left the hall. The speakers outside the hall sharply criticized Mayor Palmer throughout the night.
Despite the disruptions, the debate provided a platform for open discussion on crucial issues affecting Tübingen and Baden-Württemberg. The event served as a reminder of the importance of dialogue, even in times of disagreement.
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