German police deploy thousands for AfD congress while tackling crimes across multiple regions

The Thuringian police prepared a large deployment for the AfD federal party congress in Erfurt, stationing several thousand officers at the Messe and in the city centre from 3–5 July. Hotlines for citizens and the media were opened, and the force emphasized protection of assembly, press and party freedoms while pledging to act against violence.

In southeast Hesse, police investigations covered a series of burglaries, bike thefts and an armed robbery of smartphones in towns such as Hammersbach, Gelnhausen and Bad Soden‑Salmünster. The water protection police on the Main between Margetshöchheim and Würzburg intervened repeatedly to remove intoxicated swimmers and youths from dangerous sections of the river.

A traffic accident on Landesstraße 86 between Groß Kreutz and Schmergow involved a 39‑year‑old driver testing positive for multiple illegal drugs; his licence was seized. Hessian authorities also placed a 59‑year‑old alleged Reichsbürger in pre‑trial detention after raids uncovered numerous weapons and ammunition.

In Mannheim, a 20‑year‑old driver was stopped after spraying pedestrians with water and endangering foot traffic; her licence was confiscated pending investigation.