Protests Against Sarrazin in Munich

Munich. The controversial author of "Deutschland schafft sich ab" (Germany Abolishes Itself) and member of the Executive board of the Deutsche Bundesbank, Thilo Sarrazin, plans to visit Munich for his upcoming book tour. The event has only recently been announced but protesters are already forming up.

The Green Party and the Foreigners Advisory Council, doesn't want to give free reign on stage, the tz reports. An irritated SPD does not want the reading to take place at the Literaturhaus. The left wing group Antifa has threatened public campaigns against the "propaganda event". There are security concerns that the reading in Hildesheim has had to be cancelled already.

For the 29th of September Sarrazin's publishing company DVA and the Literaturhaus have issued an open invitation to the event. At 8 o'clock the banker will read from his book and face questions from Gabor Steingart, the editor of the Handelsblatt.

The Greens demand change: "Sarrazin's theses poisons the atmosphere. He shouldn't be left alone at the podium", says town councillor Florian Roth from the Greens, who also is a member of the foundation board of the Literaturhaus and aired his criticism towards the director. The Foreigners Advisory Council affiliates itself with the protest: "Sarrazin's statements repress integration", says vize director Asgar Can. He pleads for a podium discussion with experts from the city, because "everything runs smoother in Munich."

The Literaturhaus is owned by a trust which is supported by a publisher and the city - tax payers add another 375,000 Euro each year. Town councillor Klaus-Peter Rupp claims the location spot for the reading as being "unlucky", but does not want to cancel the evening to stir up further unrest. The CDU party has no issues with the reading and the Literaturhaus will make a statement today.