Well over 1,000 people gathered in the eastern German city of Leipzig to demonstrate against government-imposed anti-coronavirus measures.
The demonstration by the so-called Leipzig Movement had a tense atmosphere, according to observers.
Participants tried to force their way across the historic Leipzig Ring, the city's inner ring road, as they did a year ago, but were held by the police.
On the sidelines of the protests, 24 people of the far-right scene were arrested. They were carrying prohibited objects and were taken into custody, the police informed. "They can no longer participate in any event today," it said.
Originally, the Leipzig Movement had registered 3,000 participants who were supposed to march across the Leipzig Ring. However, due to the tightened coronavirus situation in the state of Saxony, of which Leipzig is the biggest city, only stationary rallies with a maximum of 1,000 participants are allowed.
By the early afternoon, the place of assembly was cordoned off because the number had been reached. However, there were many more supporters outside.
A year ago, more than 20,000 people took to the streets of Leipzig for a similar demonstration by the Querdenken movement, which is made up of Covid-19 deniers, right-wing activists and anti-vaccination campaigners.
At that time, too, a march across the Leipzig Ring was not permitted. However, after the rally was broken up due to numerous violations of regulations, thousands had forced their way across the ring road and the event turned violent.
The head of a state-level domestic intelligence service in Germany has warned of an increasing radicalization of the coronavirus deniers' scene.
Stephan Kramer told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland news group: "The fourth wave, the discussion about booster vaccinations and tightening of coronavirus measures such as the extension of proof of vaccination or recovery regulations can lead to a new impetus for the scene."
Kramer, who heads the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in the central state of Thuringia, the body responsible for monitoring and dealing with domestic security threats, pointed out that beyond demonstrations, this can also be seen in internet comments.
"We are experiencing online bullying, insults, physical attacks and ultra-aggressive behaviour all over the country," Kramer said.
This is now the order of the day across the country, he said. The fourth wave of the pandemic as well as "communication deficits and contradictions in politics, for example regarding booster vaccinations" are prompting the scene to feel validated and "further fuelled."
