People demonstrate against neo-Nazi marches in Germany, police order neo-Nazis to change their route

Last Saturday demonstrations against marches by right-wing extremists took place in the German towns of Brandenburg, Lübeck and Trier. More than 1 000 people participated. DPA reports that police did not record any larger incidents of disorder.

In the North German town of Lübeck about 1 200 people convened to express their disagreement with the neo-Nazi action, which was intended to commemorate the Allied bombing of the town in March 1942. Police reported that the extreme-right promoters had to change the route of their march for “tactical police reasons”.

Several hundred people took to the streets of Trier, in the west of the country, because of an action there by the extreme-right National-Democratic Party of Germany (NPD). Police arrested five activists for throwing firecrackers and stones at the NPD march and attacking the police with pepper spray. Another 24 misdemeanors were handed by police on the scene through negotiation. No one was injured.

In Brandenburg, about 80 right-wing extremists demonstrated for the release of Holocaust denier Horst Mahler, who is serving one year in prison there. Police searched the neo-Nazis’ cars, found hatchets and knives, and fined five people. About 50 people participated in the counter-demonstration, but there was no disorder.