Halle housing workers protest €21M budget transfer in heated rally
Hundreds of employees from Halle's housing companies HWG and GWG gathered outside City Hall on Tuesday. The protest came in response to plans transferring €21 million from the firms to the city's budget. Tensions rose as political figures clashed over the nature of the demonstration. The demonstration saw workers holding signs with slogans like 'Your greed is destroying us' alongside the HWG logo. AfD councillor Carsten Heym criticised the protest, calling it 'inappropriate' and claiming it created a 'pogrom-like atmosphere'. His remarks drew a swift rebuttal from Left Party representative Katja Müller, who defended the action as legitimate free expression.
Heym also objected to the use of the company logo on protest materials. He urged the city administration to open a dialogue with the demonstrators. Müller, however, rejected Heym's description of the event, insisting the protest remained peaceful and justified. The dispute centres on the planned €21 million transfer, which workers argue will weaken the housing companies' financial stability. The protest highlighted growing frustration among employees over budget decisions affecting their organisations.
The demonstration has exposed divisions between local politicians and housing company staff. City officials now face calls to address concerns over the budget reallocation. How the administration responds could shape future relations with the workforce.
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