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 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%.

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.

Tens of thousands of Germans have protested in Berlin and other cities against the rise of the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party ahead of the Feb. 23 election.

Thousands of people protested the rise of the far right in cities across Germany on Saturday, as the Alternative for Germany party campaign kicked off.Thousands of Germans took to the streets in several cities to protest the rise of far-right extremism and the growing popularity of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party.