"The events of late August have shaken people. There were demonstrations, which is their legal right. This does not justify the use of far-right symbols … What concerns me is the resulting loss of the sense of security in the city," the German chancellor was cited as saying by the Freie Presse at an event hosted by the daily.
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Earlier in the day, Barbara Ludwig, the mayor of Chemnitz has addressed Chancellor Angela Merkel in a statement timed to the chancellor's visit, to try harder to explain her decisions to citizens and be open to feedback.
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The comment referred to the protests of right-wing activists and counter-rallies erupted after a local man was stabbed to death by apparent foreigners on August 26. Violence continued for weeks, reigniting a nationwide debate on Berlin’s migration policy.
