Hundreds protest far-right ties at Halle's controversial Gladiator Fight Academy
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Halle’s main train station on Saturday to demand the closure of Gladiator Fight Academy. The demonstration, organised by the anti-fascist group Thumbs Down, targeted the gym over its alleged ties to far-right extremism. Chants of ‘Nazis out of our neighbourhoods!’ filled the streets as mostly young activists voiced their concerns. The protest came just days after the gym’s operators hosted the premiere of their Gladiator Fight Series in Teutschenthal. The event drew a far-right crowd, including high-profile AfD figures. Among them were Paul Backmund, an AfD candidate for the upcoming state election, Fabian Jank, an AfD member of Brandenburg’s state parliament, and Benedikt Weiß, another AfD candidate.
Critics accuse the gym of acting as a hub for far-right networking and recruitment. Key figures linked to the academy include Christopher Henze, allegedly connected to the far-right hooligan scene of 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig. Theo Weiland, a well-known German fighter and former leader of *Jungsturm Erfurt*, is also part of the gym’s core team. Hans Krüger, a junior coach at the facility and a fan of Energie Cottbus, rounds out the group. The academy has faced repeated accusations of fostering violence and discrimination. Investigations suggest its leadership maintains strong ties to far-right, male-dominated extremist circles.
The demonstration highlighted growing public opposition to the gym’s operations. Organisers from Thumbs Down have vowed to continue monitoring the facility’s activities. Meanwhile, the presence of AfD politicians at the fight series premiere has further fuelled concerns about the academy’s political connections.
