BERLIN, October 3. /TASS/. On German Unity Day, thousands of people took part in demonstrations in Berlin and Stuttgart protesting the potential return of military conscription and Germany’s rearmament. Police estimated that around 5,800 people gathered in the German capital.
Demonstrators marched from the Brandenburg Gate through central Berlin. Many carried blue flags featuring a dove of peace, while slogans including "Create peace without weapons" were heard alongside calls for dialogue with Russia. Some participants also carried Russian tricolor flags.
In Stuttgart, organizers put the turnout at approximately 15,000. The rallies were held under the slogan "No to arms buildup, conscription, and war!" Participants called on the German government to lift all sanctions and halt arms shipments, including those to Ukraine, while increasing social spending instead.
The demonstrations were organized by various civic groups and political associations, including the Left Party and the BSW (Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht - For Reason and Justice).
Germany is marking the 36th anniversary of reunification on Saturday with German Unity Day, a national public holiday. On October 3, 1990, the five states of the former German Democratic Republic - Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia - joined the Federal Republic of Germany. This year’s main celebrations are being held in Bremen.
