American tech billionaire Elon Musk made a surprise address at the campaign launch for Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as thousands of people gathered across the country to protest the rise of the far-right party.

The protests took place while AfD was opening its election campaign in the central city of Halle on Saturday. View on euronews

The AfD party is polling at about 20% before Germany's February 23 elections, a record for a party. The mainstream conservative CDU/CSU alliance leads with about 30%.

Tens of thousands of Germans rallied Saturday against the far right ahead of next month's legislative elections, as US tech billionaire Elon Musk again endorsed the anti-immigrant AfD party.

BERLIN, Jan 26, (AP): Tens of thousands of Germans on Saturday protested in Berlin and other cities against the rise of the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of the Feb. 23 general election. At Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, a huge crowd blew whistles, sang anti-fascist songs and carried banners denouncing AfD.

Thousands of Germans have protested in Berlin and other cities against the rise of the far-right and anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of a February 23 gene