Protest in Germany turns violent amid far right AfD vote

Police clash with protesters trying to block access to the Alternative for Germany's (AfD) gathering in Hannover to vote for a new leader.

German police use water cannon as protesters create a blockade ahead of the congress of the anti-immigration party Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Hanover, Germany. December 2, 2017.
Reuters

German police use water cannon as protesters create a blockade ahead of the congress of the anti-immigration party Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Hanover, Germany. December 2, 2017.

German police have used water cannons to disperse hundreds of protesters, who tried to block access to a nationalist party convention in Hannover.

Clashes between police and protesters on Saturday briefly delayed the opening of the Alternative for Germany's (AfD) gathering.

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The party, which won seats in parliament for the first time this year, has a leadership race this weekend to fill a void created when its best-known figure abruptly quit.

AfD co-chair Frauke Petry quit the party in September, accusing it of flirting with far-right extremism.

Petry's departure left her rival, Joerg Meuthen, alone as chairman. Meuthen is vying for re-election Saturday at the party's meeting in Hannover. It's not clear if AfD will decide to have one or two chairs.

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