Thousands of people protested the rise of the far right in cities across Germany on Saturday, as the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party campaign kicked off with a virtual appearance by US billionaire Elon Musk.

Musk's comments came two days before International Holocaust Remembrance Day and right after he was criticized for making what many viewers interpreted as a Nazi salute during an inauguration speech.

“In study after study, as well as our lived experiences, X has become a platform that promotes hate, antisemitism, and societal division. Under the leadership of Elon Musk, X has reduced content moderation, promoted white supremacists, and re-platformed purveyors of conspiracy theories.”

Elon Musk participated via video link in the official campaign launch of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, a month before national elections on February 23. Addressing the crowd ahead of lead candidate Alice Weidel's speech,

Tesla and SpaceX CEO rallies party’s far-right supporters at end of week where he has been embroiled in controversy

Musk's surprising virtual appearance at an AfD rally encourages Germans to let go of past guilt and protect their identity.

Elon Musk, despite facing backlash, once again endorsed Germany's far-right AfD party, calling it the nation's “best hope”. His support sparked controversy, coinciding with mass anti-AfD protests across German cities.

Billionaire and Trump administration insider Elon Musk spoke virtually to a crowd of supporters of the far-right AfD party in Halle, Germany on Saturday, telling Germans to let go of “past guilt” in his strongest endorsement of the party yet.

Elon Musk's global controversies include alleged Nazi salute, far-right AfD support, defamation disputes, and legal troubles, drawing sharp criticism yet cementing his role as a polarizing and unstoppable figure.

Elon Musk, owner of X, has suddenly taken interest in historical UK child abuse cases, using them to attack politicians and promote far-right narratives. His selective outrage focuses only on cases involving British Asian men while ignoring other forms of abuse, revealing a pattern of weaponising women's trauma for political gain.

There is too much focus on past guilt, and we need to move beyond that,” Musk told a rally for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).