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Germany's right-wing populist Alternative für Deutschland party, or AfD, is on course for a stunning result in Sunday's German election, with reports indicating one-in-five voters supported the party.

THIS is the moment shoppers descend onto a police car and chant obscenities after attending a streetwear brand pop-up.

Two boys, both under 16, have been arrested after a mob of teens swarmed an unattended Met vehicle on Saturday.

SWNS

A brand pop-up descended into a flash mob in Soho on Saturday[/caption]

SWNS

Two boys were arrested after crowds off teens surrounded a police car[/caption]

SWNS

Cops were called at midday to disperse the crowd[/caption]

The brand pop-up, in Broadwick Street, Soho, attracted thousands of people keen to get their hands on the streetwear.

It started out as a free clothes giveaway by two popular brands but ended up as a flash mob of school children hurling abuse and taking over a cop car.

Footage shows the youngsters circling a Scotland Yard vehicle shouting “f*** the feds” as they jumped on top of the car.

One boy, wearing a part of a police uniform, including a Met jacket and police cap, was spotted rummaging around in the vehicle, before jumping back on top of the roof.

Cops arrived just after midday on bikes after reports of a crowd gathering in Soho but they were unable to defuse the frenzied crowds.

As the Met Police arrived at the scene, blaring sirens, many of the teens fled and two boys, both under 16, were arrested.

More officers were deployed and eventually, the mob was dispersed.

The force was able to confirm the the cop car had suffered damage and that it had been ransacked when they arrived at the scene.

Both youngsters were arrested on suspicion of theft from a motor vehicle, criminal damage and affray and have been bailed during enquiries.

The crowds had originally gathered for a brand pop-up, but it quickly descended into chaos and the marketing stunt was branded “the worst pop-up of all time.”

The streetwear brands, Up In Flames and Poser, were giving out clothes from a van in Carnaby Street but thousands of people surrounded the van within minutes.

One teen told Metro that he felt “crushed” and “couldn’t breathe” at the giveaway as thousands tried to get to the van.

The crush reportedly led to some people passing out or crying at the event.

Some youngsters were running and holding on to the back of the van as it drove, tossing out clothes from the windows.

There were reports of the crowd “punching each other in the face” to get their hands on items or snatching clothes off other people.

A spokesman for the Met Police said: “Police were called at 12:09hrs on Saturday, 22 February following reports of a large crowd gathering in Soho in relation to an apparent marketing stunt that had been advertised online.

“During the incident, some of the crowd caused damage to an unattended police vehicle. 

“Officers have since arrested two boys under the age of 16, on suspicion of theft from a motor vehicle, criminal damage and affray. 

“They have been bailed whilst enquiries remain ongoing.

“A Section 35 Dispersal Order for the borough of Westminster was put in place throughout the evening and no further related issues were reported.”

The Sun has reached out to Up In Flames and Poser for a comment.

SWNS

The crowd arrived after a free clothes giveaway was announced online[/caption]

ARTHUR Gourounlian has shared an adorable video of his daughter Blu as she turned eight months old today.

The popular TV judge and his hubby Brian welcomed their second child, Blu, into the world on June 23, 2024.

Instagram

Brian and Arthur’s daughter Blu turned eight-months-old today[/caption]

Instagram

Together the pair have Blu and Blake[/caption]

The happy couple, who also parents to two-year-old Blake, have been keeping fans up to date on their lives with two little ones.

Today Arthur took to his Instagram to mark his youngest daughter turning eight-months-old.

Blu looked adorable while propped in her high chair enjoying her morning bottle.

She was dressed in a cute pink cardigan and wore a bib dotted with little lavender flowers.

Watching her while she enjoyed the bottle, Arthur said: “Oh well, who knew you’d still be on the bottle at eight months.

“I see, you don’t need me, you don’t need dada.”

Along with the video, Arthur penned an emotional message to his little one: “Why did the baby bring a ladder to the high chair? Because they were ready to take things to the next level!”

He added: “Happy 8 months to our baby Blu Amar Rose! Discovering the world, reaching, rolling, crawling (or attempting a great escape), and showing that strong little independence.

“Every day, you prove that tiny hands can make big moves and that curiosity is the best adventure.

“Here’s to more giggles, wobbly victories, and that unstoppable spirit because nothing is more exciting than watching you grow into YOU! We love you.”

Friends and fans raced to the TV judge’s comment section to wish Blu a happy birthday.

Blu’s dad, Brian Dowling wrote: “Our baby is getting so big.”

Shirley said: “Great girl she’s growing up fast, following her little sisters footsteps.”

FAMILY TIMES

Yvonne commented: “Beautiful Blu, she’s Miss Independent now.”

Mary added: “Little darling.”

Earlier this week, Arthur gave fans an insight into a full day in his life looking after the couple’s two kids.

The 44-year-old was woken up bright and early this morning by Blu’s babbling at 6am.

Arthur had some fun with Blake in the kitchen while making breakfast.

The two-year-old was left in stitches as she played catch with her dad.

The celebrity judge then got his two little ones ready and put Blu in her stroller.

Arthur shared a clip of a very excited-looking Blake standing on the back of the buggy and said she’s “obsessed” with it.

They walked to the cafe to get a “babycino” and Arthur praised Blake for being “the best girl”.

Arthur took another video of Blake showing off her adorable outfit while jumping around their front garden.

WATCH the moment brazen thieves use a high-tech trick to swipe a Mercedes in under 20 seconds.

The devices are now used in 40 per cent of all cases of stolen motors and are used to jam locking systems.

MET Office

MET Office

MET Office

The car signal jammers work by scrambling the radio signal from remote keys, meaning thieves can get into the car without needing to unlock it.

Anyone found with one could face five years behind bars and an unlimited fine under new plans which will be set out in parliament this week.

In the video, the brazen thieves can be seen creeping towards a car on a driveway.

One thief focuses on unlocking the vehicle, while the other moves towards the house while fumbling around with a bag.

House lights brighten the scene and the thief jumps into the car.

The thief nearest the house sprints away while the other reverses the car off the drive.

It was previously only illegal to have one of the devices if it could be proven to be have been used in a car theft.

This new measure is part of the government’s Crime and Policing Bill, which will be introduced to Parliament on Tuesday. 

Minister for Policing, Crime and Fire Prevention, Dame Diana Johnson, said: “These thefts have a devastating effect on victims, who need their vehicles to go about their everyday lives.

We are aware of the real concerns people feel with the use of these electronic devices being so prolific.

“This is why we are introducing new laws focused on tackling this issue at source, which is what our Safer Streets mission and Plan for Change are all about.

These new laws will prevent these devices from getting into the hands of thieves and organised crime groups.

“We will also continue to work closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, which includes supporting their National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership, which brings together the police and manufacturers to clamp down on vehicle crime.”

Last year 132,412 cars were stolen across England and Wales – or 370 a day.

That is up significantly from just over 10 years ago when just 70,053 were taken in 2013.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “With government statistics showing an average of 370 vehicles being stolen every day, outlawing the possession and distribution of signal jammers cannot come soon enough and we welcome the government’s action on this.

“Having your car stolen is not only a violation, it causes massive amounts of stress and inconvenience as well as higher insurance costs for the individual concerned and drivers generally.”

AA president, Edmund King, said: “This is a positive step, and these tougher sentences should make would-be thieves think again before stealing cars.

As fast as vehicle technology has evolved, thieves have always tried to keep pace and beat the security systems.

“Relay theft and signal jamming is all too frequent and these measures will give police forces more opportunities to tackle car crime.”

MET Office

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GERMANY’S hard-right party has had its strongest showing since World War Two, exit polls suggest, taking 19.5 per cent of the vote.

Alternative for Germany (AfD) is fielding its first candidate to lead the country amid support from Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance.

Rex

Millions of Germans are heading to the polls today[/caption]

Reuters

The result could reshape both the country’s political landscape and Europe’s response to Donald Trump[/caption]

Reuters

German conservative candidate for chancellor and Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party leader Friedrich Merz[/caption]

Reuters

Alternative for Germany (AfD) party co-leader Alice Weidel[/caption]

Exit polls have placed AfD high in the tallies of the high-stakes election – but full results are expected on Monday morning.

The centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has come out on top in the exit polls at 29 per cent, but it is falling short of an outright majority.

The race pits the incumbent chancellor against the opposition leader, the vice chancellor and for the first time a leader of a far-right party.

AfD became the first far-right party to win a state election in post-World War II Germany in Thuringia in September.

The party is backed by high-profile US figures like Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance.

Germany’s electoral system rarely gives any party an absolute majority and opinion polls suggest that no party is anywhere near one this time.

Two or more parties will most likely form a coalition in the coming weeks.

Whichever parties get in could shape Europe’s response to Donald Trump.

Questions remain over whether a coalition could be formed that could break Germany’s long-standing “firewall”.

The “firewall” is the name given to a postwar stance in which mainstream parties have insisted they wouldn’t work with any far-right parties – including AfD.

JD Vance earlier this month said there is no place for “firewalls” during a visit to Munich earlier this month.

AFD’S HISTORIC SURGE

Once considered a political outsider, the AfD has cemented itself as Germany’s second largest party, polling at 21 per cent – more than double its result in 2021.

The party’s momentum has been strongest in Germany’s economically struggling east, but is also gaining traction in the west.

AfD’s campaign has echoed Trump-style populism, with supporters seen wearing MAGA-inspired caps reading “Make Germany Great Again”.

The party’s leader, Alice Weidel, has vowed to “break the firewall” that keeps mainstream parties from cooperating with the far-right.

A protester in Berlin told NBC News that the AfD has gained support from frustrated Germans by giving them “easy answers.”

AfD’s success in September’s state elections, where it won its first-ever governorship in Thuringia and came close in Saxony, signaled its growing influence.

Now, its national rise could force Germany’s mainstream parties to navigate an even more divided political landscape.

THE TRUMP EFFECT

Germany’s next government will be crucial in shaping Europe’s response to Trump.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz previously warned that Trump’s return would be ” a challenge”.

Meanwhile, Weidel has positioned herself as a German ally to Trump’s America.

She has been advocating for a nationalist agenda that includes withdrawing support for Ukraine, lifting sanctions on Russia, and even threatening a referendum on Germany’s EU membership.

Tech mogul and Trump’s “first buddy” Elon Musk amplified AfD’s message by livestreaming an interview with Weidel on X last month.

He posted: “Only the AfD can save Germany.”

Musk’s involvement has sparked concerns about foreign influence in German politics.

JD Vance also made waves by publicly meeting with Weidel and calling for an end to the German political establishment’s longstanding refusal to engage with the AfD.

EPA

US President Donald J. Trump gives remarks to the media in the Oval Office of the White House, as he meets with special government employee Elon Musk[/caption]

The Mega Agency

US Vice President JD Vance at this year’s CPAC in Washington DC[/caption]

ECONOMY & MIGRATION

Germany, once the powerhouse of Europe, has struggled with economic stagnation for the past half decade.

Many voters see this election as a referendum on how to reignite growth.

CDU leader Friedrich Merz, the current front-runner to become Germany’s next chancellor, has promised to fix the economy within four-years – an ambitious goal given the country’s infrastructure and energy woes.

Meanwhile, security and migration have dominated the election campaign following a string of deadly attacks, including a stabbing at Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial on Friday.

AfD has capitalised on these incidents, promoting its “remigration” policy, which includes deporting migrants who have committed crimes.

Getty

German Chancellor Olaf Sholz, leader of the centre-left Social Democrats[/caption]

AFP

Green Party’s main candidate and German Minister of Economics and Climate Protection Robert Habeck[/caption]

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

With 59.2 million Germans eligible to vote, polling stations will closed at 6pm local time, with exit polls providing an early snapshot of the results.

Vote-counting will began as soon as polls close, and a final official result is expected by early Monday.

Unlike some countries, Germany does not allow mail-in ballots to arrive after election day — meaning every vote must be received by the deadline to be counted.

The formation of a new government, however, can take weeks or even months as coalition negotiations unfold.

Merz is widely expected to lead the largest party, but his path to power is unclear.

A coalition will be necessary, with Scholz’s Social Democrats or Robert Habeck’s Greens being the most likely partners.

However, Merz has ruled out working with the AfD, maintaining Germany’s political “firewall” against the far-right.

If exit polls confirm AfD’s meteoric rise, it will mark a turning point in German politics — one that could have ripple effects across Europe and beyond.