Emboldened far-right activists in Germany hope to make a Saturday protest a pivotal event that brings clusters of nationalists — from lawmakers to Hitler-saluting skinheads — together as a nationwide anti-migrant movement to challenge the political establishment.
Several groups scheduled rallies in the city of Chemnitz over the Aug. 26 killing there of a German citizen, allegedly by migrants from Syria and Iraq. The largest groups have invited concerned citizens to join them later as they converge for the first time, hoping a broader far-right drive emerges from their display of unity.
Counter-protesters organized a rival rally that could test authorities’ ability to keep the peace. The opposing camps confronted one another in Chemnitz on Monday, and scenes of vigilantes chasing foreigners in the city’s streets have shocked people in others parts of Germany since then.
The increasingly open displays of anti-migrant sentiment and violence reflect Germany’s ongoing effort to come to terms with an influx of more than 1 million refugees and migrants seeking jobs since 2015.
The right blames Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to allow in hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers from war-torn countries like Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan for multiple problems. Some far-right supporters argue that migrants are responsible for an increase in serious crimes, especially attacks on women.
The anti-migrant sentiment has been particularly strong in Saxony, the state where Chemnitz is located and traditional strongholds of two groups that are seeking to launch a nationwide movement…
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