‘Merkel MUST GO’ Germany in FLAMES as furious locals torch cars and attack mosque
HUNDREDS of furious protesters heckled Angela Merkel in Dresden just days after police cars were set on fire in the city and bombs exploded outside a mosque.
By Katie Mansfield and Monika Pallenberg
Holding placards reading “Merkel must go”, right-wing protesters also shouted the slogan as Merkel, who has faced criticism for her open-door refugee policy, and President Joachim Gauck arrived for the celebrations and greeted spectators.
Graffiti declaring “All of Dresden hates the police” has been sprayed in a street near the scene of the arson.
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Hundreds of protesters heckled Angela Merkel as chaos broke out in Dresden
The grassroots movement, whose weekly rallies attracted around 20,000 supporters at their height at the start of 2015 held a rally in the city today.
Protesters blew whistles and shouted ‘Traitors’ and ‘Get out’ as the German Chancellor arrived in Dresden.
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‘Merkel must go’ Protesters call for the German Chancellor to resign
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Several hundred protesters turned out in Dresden
The German Chancellor has come under fire for her open-door policy which has seen one million migrants arrive in Germany.
In a short statement, Mrs Merkel, who grew up in the former East Germany, called for “mutual respect” in the political debate and said she wished that all sides could work together to tackle the new problems regardless of their different political views.
Some 2,600 police officers are on duty for the event known as German Unity Day.
Police investigating the arson say they suspect the attack was “politically motivated”.
The celebrations come after two improvised bombs exploded in Dresden last week, one at a mosque and one at an international conference centre.
But despite the violence, police insist the celebrations have run “smoothly”.
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Mrs Merkel and German President Joachim Gauck arrive in Dresden
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Three police cars were torched in the city on Saturday
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Police snipers are seen in a window overlooking the Frauenkirche during a unity service
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Protesters blew whistles and shouted ‘Traitors’ and ‘Get out’
German neo-Nazis are said to be the prime suspects after two explosions targeted a local mosque.
No-one was hurt in the blasts.
Green Party leader Katrin Göring-Eckardt described the situation in Dresden “grotesque”.