For years they fight with each other, now they have a common enemy: German hooligans unite against Salafists. On Sunday they want to show in Cologne thousands. The police are warned.

They swear, they insult, they crosslink continues: On social media channels, in internal chats, send a text message call football violence perpetrators on to “finally to defend Germany”. Alone on Facebook garnered the group “hooligans against Salafists” (HoGeSa) in the meantime more than 40,000 likes given. On Sunday it will come in Cologne to a nationwide demonstration. The biggest of its kind.

The organizers pride themselves on “5700 applications”, the Cologne police expectations are for “1000-1500 participants” as their spokesman Christoph Gilles says. The latter may be more realistic, but even with such a number of participants of the group would be the demonstration of power succeeded in its planned since its inception: “All to Cologne” says the social network for weeks, the biggest rally in Dortmund (350 participants) must be “dwarfed”.

This should succeed without problems, especially as the group that originally consisted almost entirely of right-wing hooligans and their existence  made ​​public in early May, “lately belonging feed had”, as emphasized Gilles. Even hooligans from Wales, Austria and Poland are expected in Cologne. The network, which is grown in large parts of the group GnuHonnters, for some time now also works with mostly right hooligans of other European countries.

In addition, both place and time are well chosen: Cologne is predestined by its location for nationwide meetings, especially the southwest, the Rhineland and the Ruhr area – ie the three geographical focal points of “HoGeSa” – are conveniently located. Is correspondingly high level of mobilization, have dozens of carpooling in the last day

Appeal against Salafists:No program, no prepared speakers

The opposite side is alerted. Two counter-demonstrations have announced themselves. They will demonstrate in front of the Cologne Central Station, “HoGeSa” meets at the back door. Fears that both groups clash, scattered police spokesman Gilles: “If one of the two groups should make the attempt to attack each other, we will be having enough officers on the ground to prevent that.” However, one must wait and see if it succeed organizers to ensure a peaceful manner.

Last in Dortmund observers had the impression that most participants only waited for either the Antifa or Salafists come around the corner, so it could come to the longed-for confrontation. When this failed to materialize, the hooligans did not really know what they should do with their time. There was no program, no prepared speakers. So the meeting seemed more like waiting for Godot.

Those who in recent weeks has seen the relevant forum, which has been renamed from “Hooligans against Salafists” in “Together we are strong,” came again and again to the same conflict. Some spokesmen challenge you to “stay peaceful”, “let not provoke” and “only black-red-gold flags Germany” bring – you would not be found “in the Nazi-corner”. And actually remind individual forum participants, to remember the alleged target. This was the fight of Salafism, not the Nazi propaganda. It was “apolitical”.

Appeal against Salafists:The group wants to give a “non-partisan”

However, with this distinction, the majority of the clientele feels obviously not well described. Open symbols are right abound posted, are readily relevant protagonists right-wing parties to identify open neo-Nazis, including members of various fraternities as the forbidden “free network South”, the NPD or the party “rights”. Even some members of the now banned “National Resistance” have apparently found in HoGeSa a new focal point. The group acts as hardly feasible, but in essence extremely violent.

Proudly presented followers of the group earlier this week also a song of Bremer Hool-band “Category C”, the concerts of Nazi leaders like Sascha Wagner and Christian Hehl can organize and occurred even at NPD celebrations.
The assignee of the rally in Dortmund is no stranger. Dominik Roeseler is a member of the right-wing populist party “Pro NRW” and held office as councilor of Mönchengladbach. Since it is politically clear to you, he was last attacked by some forum users and urged as a “regional leader” resign. The group wants to give the public as “non-partisan”.

According to the Cologne police but Roeseler is still the organizer of the event. Official chairman, however, is a “political blank slate” from southern Germany.

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