Delegates at the conference of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party were left puzzled on Saturday after the “Imperial March” from “Star Wars” repeatedly blared through the hall during voting for deputy leadership positions.
The ominous music, associated with the franchise’s Galactic Empire and Darth Vader, alternated between different parts of the venue, prompting technicians to search for its source.
They eventually discovered at least one Bluetooth speaker hidden behind a curtain near the roof of the conference hall in the eastern city of Erfurt.
The circumstances behind the incident initially remained unclear.
An AfD spokesman declined to comment when asked about the disruption and referred inquiries to the security authorities.
A police spokesman said he was not immediately aware of the incident.
The episode occurred as tens of thousands of people protested against the AfD gathering in Erfurt.
Police estimated around 31,000 participants in marches, rallies and blockades, while organizers claimed 50,000. Despite the protests, the conference proceeded on schedule and re-elected Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla as party leaders.