- Date & Location: Saturday, 07.02.2026, Jena (Start: Holzmarkt).
- Occasion: Political assembly under the motto “From Jena to Budapest…”.
- Number of Participants: Approx. 700 people at peak times.
- Police Summary: 4 criminal offenses (including resistance), several administrative offenses, ignition of pyrotechnics.
Jena (08.02.2026) – A large police presence shaped the cityscape in the center of Jena yesterday, Saturday. The background was a registered assembly that began at Holzmarkt and mobilized hundreds of participants. The Landespolizeiinspektion (LPI) Jena released an initial summary of the operation the following day.
Demonstration moves from Holzmarkt through the city
On the afternoon of February 7, numerous people gathered at Holzmarkt, one of the central traffic hubs and meeting points of the city on the Saale. According to police reports, around 700 participants joined the procession at its peak. Thematically, the protest was situated within the left-wing political spectrum. The motto issued by the organizer was: “From Jena to Budapest: Boundless solidarity against right-wing terror and authoritarian capitalism – Freedom for Maja”.
The procession moved along the route coordinated in advance with the assembly authority through the urban area. For passers-by and public transport, temporary restrictions occurred during the march, which are typical for a procession of this size in the narrow city center of Jena.
Operational objectives and support forces
According to their own statements, the Jena police’s primary strategy was to guarantee the fundamental right to freedom of assembly. At the same time, it was necessary to consistently enforce assembly law requirements to ensure the safety of all participants and bystanders. To handle these tasks, the local inspection received personnel support from several other Thuringian police authorities.
Pyrotechnics and isolated criminal offenses
Although the majority of the assembly proceeded without major incidents, the operation was not entirely trouble-free. The police specifically documented the ignition of pyrotechnics within the procession – a behavior that is strictly prohibited at assemblies due to the high risk of injury and unpredictability in crowds and regularly leads to conflicts.
In the final balance, officers recorded a total of four criminal offenses in the context of the assembly event. Among other things, an investigation was initiated for resisting law enforcement officers. In addition, several administrative offense proceedings had to be opened, which likely relate to violations of the assembly requirements.
Conclusion and context
Jena is known as a politically active city where demonstrations of various kinds take place regularly. A procession with 700 participants is considered a medium-sized event in the city’s annual calendar. From a police perspective, it is often not entirely avoidable that isolated friction occurs with such a large number of people. However, the balance of four criminal offenses among 700 participants indicates that the situation remained largely controllable despite the emotional topic.
The police reduced their presence back to normal levels after the end of the assembly. Further investigations into the recorded offenses are ongoing.