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I was at a town hall meeting regarding the opening of refugee shelter in the neighbouhood. Let me tell you how it went.
I went there with two friends, knowing that the owner of the building next to the shelter mobilised in right-wing facebook groups to show up in numbers to show the establishment what the people think.
There was police checking bag for weapons, which was a bit intimidating. When I was inside, the woman next to me told me that last time it was worse, there was security between every row. "If you lose the populations favour I guess thats what you have to do" she said.
On the stage was the SPD mayor, who was admittedly a horrible mayor, he got voted out for some corruption thing some months later.
The only other politician there was an AfD one. He was in the audience, literally on the side "of the people against those up there", who critically asked uncomfortable questions about murdering refugees.
The building owner stood up and pointed out that an email has been found coming from the mayors secretary to security telling them "to make sure the atmosphere doesnt tilt right". A groan went through the room. It later turned out that the email was real and in response to the mobilisation in the facebook groups. The mayor risked his neck talking, not really saying anything of substance throughout the whole meeting.
In my corner there was us and some people from the local community center, who sometimes also helped refugees. Towards the end, a person who I'd describe as a Fascho stood up, pointed at us and said "Well it seems like the mayor invited his TAZ-reading fans from antifa as well". The next day, this was reported like that on Nius.
It was a complete shitshow. And now remember. They do this everywhere. In small towns they stand on the town square during rain with their little tent, just in case someone wants to have a chat.
I say this as a party member of Die Linke. Nobody seems to give a fuck about the disenfranchised except the AfD. For many people, the AfD is the only one that actually talks to and doesnt look down on them. This is not a justification, it scares me. But I can see how people get drawn in like that. What an embarrassment for both the liberal mainstream and the left, who is supposed to cater to the forgotten ones.
My wife and I have had recent incidents nearly identical to this in NL.
First of all, thanks for going to the meeting and opposing those Nazis.
I know this is what you meant too, but I think it's important to emphasise this: They seem to give a fuck. In reality they are just as bad, if not worse than the other major parties when it comes to actually supporting them.