Statement on a right-wing article about the Potsdam ‘Students against the Right’ group
With this statement, we as the anti-discrimination department would like to comment on an article in the new-right online magazine ‘NIUS’ about the local ‘Students against the Right’ group in Potsdam.
First of all, it should be made clear that no information was passed on to Amir Makatov, as this contradicts our political self-image. We dissociate ourselves from the accusations of co-operating in any way with this person or the news medium. Previous press and general enquiries to the AStA and explicitly to the Anti-Discrimination Department have always been rejected and this should remain the case in the future.
The task of the Anti-Discrimination Department is to stand up for marginalised and discriminated students. This requires concrete anti-discrimination work as well as general political work against misanthropic behaviour. We have a clear anti-fascist and democratic self-image, both positions are inseparable. We fight for an open, democratic and pluralistic society!
The new right-wing online medium ‘NIUS’ poses a threat to democratic discourse by not only publishing poorly researched articles, but above all by deliberately spreading false news. Such ‘news’ is intended to spread a certain humour, but only fuels hatred and incitement against progressive or marginalised people. We can see where this leads using the example of Brexit, Trump's re-election as US president or the current coalition negotiations in Austria. Discourses are being shifted, misanthropy is spreading and hatred and riots are threatening marginalised sections of society.
The article published on ‘NIUS’ is an attack on progressive structures and committed students at the University of Potsdam. In a supposedly enlightened manner, the article fundamentally questions the commitment against the right and aims to deligitimise the demonstrations against the AfD party conference. As anti-fascists, we stand behind the demonstrations against the AfD party conference, against the party that wants to marginalise and deport millions of people in Germany. We oppose the party whose structures threaten students and marginalised people. In our eyes, blocking an AfD party conference is a justified and necessary action. We strongly condemn the police violence, some of which was used against the demonstrators and in particular against a parliamentary observer from the party ‘die Linke’.
We support the invitation to all students to get involved in the ‘Students against the Right Group Potsdam’, which fights the AfD and right-wing structures in the university environment. We also welcome the StuPa's decision on 16 January 2025 to exclude fraternities and sororities from university politics and student life.
Taking a stand against the AfD and other right-wing groups is our democratic civic duty, which is why we are calling on all students to get involved in anti-fascist groups and stand up to the AfD.
Alerta, Alerta!
Your anti-discrimination department - January 2025