Erfurt is preparing for mass protests coinciding with the annual congress of the right-wing party "Alternative for Germany" (AfD). According to organizers' estimates, up to 50,000 people from across the country may participate in the demonstrations. Protesters intend to hold rallies and sit-ins to obstruct delegates' access to the venue of the party congress. At the same time, authorities are ramping up security measures, fearing possible clashes. According to *Der Spiegel*, which has obtained internal police documents, up to 2,500 protest participants may be prepared for violent actions. This is why significant police forces are being deployed to maintain order. The AfD congress opens on Saturday. Its main theme will be the re-election of party co-chairs Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla. The heightened attention to the event is not only due to the protests. According to recent opinion polls, the opposition AfD continues to strengthen its position and is now ahead of other political forces in Germany. The rise in support for the party has provoked a sharp reaction from its opponents. A representative of the protest alliance "Resistance," Noah Sander, called the AfD "a very dangerous party" and stated that participants in the protests intend to seek its ban, including by blocking the party congress. The AfD itself rejects such accusations. Additional tension has been caused by statements from certain party representatives. For instance, Bundestag member Beatrix von Storch wrote on social media platform X that for Erfurt, "the countdown to civil war has begun," accusing political opponents of being willing to use violence. The holding of the congress has also become a subject of public discussion due to its coincidence with the 100th anniversary of the National Socialist conference held in nearby Weimar. Critics consider the choice of date and location symbolic, but the AfD rejects such interpretations. For the city's residents, the upcoming weekend may mean serious traffic restrictions, heightened security measures, and a large police presence on the streets. Such large-scale actions are traditionally accompanied by the closure of certain areas and changes in public transport operations. Thuringia's Minister of the Interior, Georg Meyer, urged protest participants to abide by the law. According to him, disagreement with the political position of the party should not lead to unlawful actions. The outcomes of the congress and the scale of the protests may become one of the most notable political events in Germany in the coming days, especially against the backdrop of the continuing rise in popularity of the AfD.