Three journalists from the conservative German outlet Apollo News were verbally abused, chased and beaten by an enraged mob on Saturday while covering a protest demonstration against the besieged AfD party conference in Erfurt.
A video from Bild, which was at the scene, shows the pursuit of journalists Jonas Aston and Marius Marx, along with an unnamed cameraman. It was subsequently published on X by Apollo News Editor-in-Chief Max Mannhart:
🔴 Drei Reporter von Apollo News wurden in Erfurt aus einer Antifa-Demo heraus gejagt und zusammengeschlagen.
Als sie die Demonstration filmten wurden sie von ca. einem Dutzend Personen verfolgt und zu Boden geschlagen, als sie am Boden lagen wurde immer wieder nachgetreten… pic.twitter.com/yICrfMvtXo
— Max Mannhart (@maxmannhart) July 4, 2026
Eventually, they are pushed to the ground and assaulted before some of the demonstrators begin urging the attackers to calm down and succeed in defusing the situation sufficiently for the journalists to escape. But the attacks continue afterwards. Die Welt writes:
The three reporters then left the area, but continued to be pursued. According to Mannhart, they were chased by a larger crowd consisting of several dozen people. During the pursuit, they were reportedly subjected to verbal abuse, while objects and bottles were also thrown at them. Finally, several individuals allegedly ran towards the reporters and attacked them again. Marx and Aston are said to have fallen to the ground.
While the reporters were lying on the ground, they were, according to Mannhart, repeatedly kicked. According to his account, it is particularly serious that at least one kick was directed at the back of reporter Aston’s head while he was lying on the ground. All three members of the team are said to have been injured during the attacks.
The assault reportedly came to an end only when the police arrived.
Wir sind unglaublich stolz auf unsere Kollegen vor Ort (u.a. @Jns_Astn und @mariusmxra), die genau dahin gegangen sind, wo es gefährlich wurde und die trotz aller Gefahren und Angriffe ihren Job gemacht haben.
Ein ikonisches Foto, tapfer und mutig für die Pressefreiheit! pic.twitter.com/a3mrUx9qA2
— Max Mannhart (@maxmannhart) July 4, 2026
The police have launched an investigation into the incident.
In the evening, Apollo News published a video interview with Aston and Marx. Both had suffered abrasions, Marx explained, but they are now largely doing well.
“The situation kept escalating; there was an unbelievable mob dynamic,” Aston said. “I can’t call it anything other than a manhunt.” After they had run far enough away from the demonstration, the police finally spotted them. “Then they moved in in force, with pepper spray, and really helped us get out of there.”
In a commentary on the violence, Apollo published a photograph of Jonas Aston with a bloodied lip.
Mannhart describes the incident as a serious attack on press freedom.
Reporters from the independent conservative media outlet Junge Freiheit also say they were attacked in Erfurt.
One reporter was allegedly punched in the face and on the hand before his mobile phone was snatched from him and stolen. A video recording documents the attack. According to Junge Freiheit, masked individuals then shouted: “Antifa has the mobile phone!”
A senior politician has expressed solidarity with the reporters:
FDP leader Wolfgang Kubicki commented on the incident in a post on X: “Anyone who attacks journalists while they are carrying out their work is attacking liberal democracy. Anyone who resorts to violence in this context belongs before a criminal court and must feel the strength of the rule of law.” He wished the injured reporters a speedy recovery.