German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Joachim Gauckon visited a refugee site on Wednesday that has recently been home to anti-immigration protests.
About 200 protesters booed the leaders upon their arrival in the eastern town of Heidenau, shouting "traitor, traitor," Agence France Presse reported.
The visit came amid heightening tensions around immigration countrywide. Over the weekend, violent clashes between anti-foreigner protesters and police erupted outside a hardware store in Heidenau. The store serves as a shelter for hundreds of refugees, many of whom are Syrian. Protesters in Heidenau were heard using outlawed Nazi chants.
Deutsche Welle reporter Naomi Conrad shared a photo of the less-than-warm welcome.
Merkel condemned those protests as “repulsive,” though she also received criticism for not addressing the unrest until Monday.
According to the AP, there have been over 200 attacks against refugees and asylum centers in Germany this year.
German officials estimate that about 800,000 refugees will seek shelter this year, AFP reports. Many citizens have welcomed refugees, and the government has taken a vocal pro-immigration stance in the face of a growing crisis.