A group of partially hooded individuals has attacked a rally against far-right extremism in eastern Germany, injuring at least two participants, police said on Sunday.

Some of the participants in the event in the town of Bad Freienwalde, some 50 kilometres north-east of Berlin, were members of the queer community, according to a statement.

The rally, organized by the “Bad Freienwalde ist bunt” (Bad Freienwalde is colourful) movement, was intended to protest against the rise of the far right and hatred, with live music, a children’s programme and a graffiti workshop also on the agenda.

According to an Instagram post by the organizers, three people were injured in the attack. Police had not been present at the time of the attack, they said.

Since a political motive cannot be ruled out, the state security service responsible for politically motivated crimes will take over the investigation, a police spokesman said.

According to the spokesman, the authorities had been in contact with the organizers prior to the event.

Security forces had been on site but in a different location, meaning they were unable to prevent the attack and the perpetrators were able to escape, police said.

Police put the number of attackers at 10 to 15. Those injured did not require treatment by emergency forces, it said.

Police are investigating on suspicion of dangerous bodily harm and have asked witnesses to come forward.