BERLIN

Thousands of people rallied in several eastern German states on Monday evening to protest the government's energy policy and sanctions against Russia.

The protesters shouted slogans against Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition government and carried banners bearing the messages “Stop the price explosion,” “Stop the war, stop the sanctions,” and “Open Nord Stream now.”

According to police, the largest protests took place in the state of Thuringia. Nearly 24,000 people are said to have taken part in the demonstrations across the state.

The two largest demonstrations took place in the cities of Gera and Altenburg, public broadcaster MDR reported. The protests were peaceful, police confirmed.

Saxony-Anhalt was another state which was a scene for the protest. About 13,000 people are said to have taken to the streets there.

Demonstrators protested coronavirus restrictions, soaring energy prices, and the EU sanctions imposed on Russia.

One of the banners read: “We're all in the same boat. Without Russian gas, our economy will be dead!”

According to police, fewer demonstrations and rallies were registered overall compared to the previous week, despite a small rise in the number of participants. A week ago, the police in Saxony-Anhalt counted up to 12,000 protesters.

During the protests in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, more than 11,000 people are said to have demonstrated in around 20 locations, as reported by the NDR public broadcaster.