Once I stepped out onto the street, the soft drizzle made the morning feel even more gray and somber. I managed to flag down a taxi, a modest Korean-made car, and slid into the backseat.
“Where to?” the driver asked as the car smoothly began to move forward. His voice had a certain weariness, like he’d been through the routine countless times before.
“Berlin,” I replied, still adjusting to the rain-splattered windows.
The driver gave me a sideways glance through the rearview mirror before shaking his head. “No can do. There’s a far-right demonstration happening in that area today. Too risky.”
His words caught me off guard. “The far-right didn’t win the state elections in Brandenburg, did they?” I asked, thinking back to the news I’d read just before arriving. The Social Democrats had narrowly held on, after all.
“Exactly,” he replied, his voice more animated. “That’s why they’re out there, making noise. Some people are not happy about that, and when they gather, things can get tense. If the protest gets ugly, the roads will be a mess, and you don’t want to be caught up in that. You’re a tourist, right? Why not go to Potsdam Palace instead? It’s quiet, and it’s safer.”
I sat back, unsure of what to do. The rain continued to streak across the window, blurring the edges of the buildings and the people on the streets. Berlin had been my plan, but the tension in the air was palpable. Maybe a peaceful stroll around the grounds of Potsdam Palace would be a better way to spend the day after all.
Germany Scholz’s Social Democrats narrowly ahead of far-right in Brandenburg regional election
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