Local branch of Germany's AfD banned from playing 'deportation song'

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the north-eastern state of Brandenburg is no longer allowed to play the so-called "deportation song" based on a melody by German rappers Die Atzen.

The regional AfD association has submitted a cease-and-desist declaration, with Brandenburg party chairman René Springer informing members about this, dpa learnt on Tuesday evening.

To avoid future contractual penalties, the AfD is "obliged to refrain from linking, reproducing, publicly performing, publicly presenting, or connecting with film works, the text of the contested 'deportation song,' fragments, or modifications with the composition 'Das geht ab,'" Springer stated in the letter from Monday seen by dpa.

Several young AfD supporters initiated a song about deportations at the party's election night party on September 22 in Potsdam, the capital of Brandenburg, which surrounds Berlin.

The party was celebrating winning just under 30% of the vote to the regional state parliament, almost beating the Social Democratic Party (SPD) of Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

To the melody of the song "Das geht ab. Wir feiern die ganze Nacht" (That Rocks. We Party All Night) by the band Die Atzen, AfD supporters sang the equivalent of: "Hey, it's kicking off, we're deporting them all, them all."

They also held up a sign with the inscription "Mass deportation".

The police had announced they were investigating the incident on suspicion of incitement to hatred.

Springer wrote that a law firm had called upon the regional association to issue a binding cease-and-desist declaration with penalty provisions. In the event of a violation of such a declaration, considerable contractual penalties would be due.

In the worst case, legal costs estimated at up to €36,000 ($39,500) would be incurred, the regional party chief warned. In case of breaches, "the regional association would have to, at worst, seek compensation from the acting members."

The AfD leadership had deemed the song unproblematic at the time. Springer said after the election party that this behaviour by members of the AfD youth wing, Young Alternative for Germany, was relatively harmless compared to the demands of the SPD's youth wing regarding abortions.

The young SPD has been campaigning for years for a liberalization of the relatively strict abortion laws in Germany and easier access to medical information on getting one.

The AfD's national chairman, Tino Chrupalla, had said that the young have "a right to celebrate exuberantly."

The rappers Die Atzen had reacted with a post on Instagram: "The only ones allowed to rewrite our song are the Hertha BSC Ostkurve [football fan group] and SpongeBob."