SPD taken aback by Wandrey's complaint against OB
In the city of Darmstadt, a controversial right-wing torchlight procession is set to take place on Thursday, commemorating the infamous "Night of Fire". This decision has sparked a wave of criticism from various political groups, with the SPD expressing dissatisfaction towards Ordnungsdezernent Paul Georg Wandrey (CDU) for not taking sufficient legal steps to prevent the event.
The SPD accuses Wandrey of not using every legal means to prevent the torch march, and expects him to make political decisions, rather than hiding behind formal-legal questions. The party stands behind Mayor Hanno Benz, praising his efforts to prevent the demonstration, despite his decision being overturned in court.
Mayor Benz issued the ban on the demonstration despite clear indications of its illegality from both the legal department and the citizen and public order office. The organizer of the failed torchlight procession is believed to be Thomas Bernt, a known figure in the right-wing scene. Bernt is associated with a group supporting Heinrich XIII. Prince Reuss, who aimed to seize power in Germany and planned a violent storming of the Bundestag.
The Alliance against the Right has called for two counter-events in response to the right-wing torchlight procession. In a positive turn of events, the city of Darmstadt's actions regarding African Swine Fever have been deemed exemplary in the past year.
A ray of hope came for Mayor Benz and City Treasurer André Schellenberg as the government presidium approved the Darmstadt double budget for the current and the coming year. The approval brings relief to the city leaders, as they continue to navigate the challenging political landscape.
Meanwhile, around 800 demonstrators subsequently prevented the right-wing torch march, showing a strong stance against extremism in the city. The SPD is dissatisfied with the Ordnungsdezernent for not initiating sufficient legal steps against the failed torchlight procession, and the debate is likely to continue in the days ahead.
