Thousands of opponents of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) protest in Erfurt as the party holds its annual conference, which runs over two days. Multiple outlets report that demonstrators block roads around the city and march to disrupt access to the conference site. Protesters include representatives and supporters from unions, civil society groups and left-wing parties, according to accounts from local and international media. Police are heavily present, with reinforcements deployed from across Germany to manage crowds and maintain security around the conference. The protests take place ahead of upcoming regional elections, which could allow the AfD to gain power at the state level for the first time, according to reports. While DW also notes other contemporaneous events in Germany, including a major fire in Stuttgart, the central focus across the coverage is the size of the anti-AfD turnout and the police deployment during the AfD conference in Erfurt.