FRANKFURT, Germany: Thousands of people who oppose Germany's far-right AfD party took to the streets of Erfurt on Saturday.

They blocked roads to protest the party's annual conference, which is taking place before regional elections in which the AfD could come to power at the state level for the first time.

The protesters included trade unions, civil society groups, and left-wing parties. A large number of police officers, including extra forces from across Germany, were deployed for security during the two-day event. AfD stands for Alternative for Germany.

Under the watch of police in riot gear, protesters sat in lines to block highways and roads leading to the conference center. Police said about 15,000 people took part in demonstrations in and around the eastern city.

Georg Becker, a spokesperson for the anti-AfD group Widersetzen ("Resist"), said they wanted to show clearly that they would not accept what they see as the rise of fascism in Germany.

The conference is expected to re-elect co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla. It is being held ahead of elections in the eastern states of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which the AfD hopes will help it gain more power at the national level.

The AfD, formed over ten years ago, is leading in opinion polls ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative party. Its support comes from nationalist messaging, demands for stricter immigration rules, and voters' frustration with past governments and slow economic growth.

Critics accuse the AfD of promoting racist ideas and policies that go against Germany's democratic values, warning that it could threaten the country's constitution. Major political parties refuse to work with the AfD, following a "firewall" approach to keep it out of government coalitions.

AfD leaders deny these accusations and say they support democracy. Earlier this year, they won a court order that forced Germany's domestic intelligence agency to stop calling the party "extremist."

Recent polls show AfD support at around 29 percent, compared to about 22 percent for Merz's CDU/CSU conservatives. The party has also done well in two recent regional elections in western Germany.

However, its strongest support is in the former communist eastern regions, where many voters are unhappy with traditional political parties.

In Saxony-Anhalt, polls show the AfD at 41 percent, well ahead of the Christian Democrats at 23 percent, as the party aims for a clear victory. It also hopes to become the largest party in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.