Police try to remove people blocking a street against the AfD demonstration in Berlin.

AFP/DPA
Berlin
Police clashed yesterday with activists who took to the streets of Berlin to shout down anti-migrant marchers of the populist-nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD).
At least 10 supporters of the migrants were arrested, an AFP journalist at the scene said.
Police said an officer was lightly wounded in the brawl.
Police said some 3,500 people turned out for the anti-migrant protest, which gathered under the banner “Asylum Has Its Limits – Red Card for Merkel”.
Organisers had expected a turnout of up to 5,000.
Five counter-protests in support of migrants were planned in Berlin, with an expected turnout of 7,000.
Deputy AfD leader Alexander Gauland was joined by European Parliament member Beatrix von Storch in calling on voters to oust Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2017 elections.
One placard read, “Save Germany. Stop Merkel”.
Another protester spoke out against multiculturalism with a sign that said Germany was already “colourful enough”.
Although Merkel’s ruling coalition recently decided to tighten asylum laws and fast-track deportations, the chancellor has been hailed across Europe for her open-door policy in the face of migration flows not seen since World War II.
Gauland compared the current migration levels to the barbarian invasion that contributed to the downfall of the Roman Empire.
About 20 neo-Nazis were reported to have been spotted among the AfD crowd.
A sit-in staged by counterdemonstrators was thwarted ahead of the anti-asylum event, and one police officer suffered minor injuries earlier in the day when left-wing protesters stormed a barrier in a bid to reach AfD supporters.
However, police reported no major incidents as the protesters merely exchanged insults from either side of the barrier.
AfD is a main critic of the top European economy’s open-door policy under Chancellor Angela Merkel towards refugees fleeing war and persecution.
Germany this year faces a record influx of up to 1mn migrants amid Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II.