Neo-nazis clash with opponents in Georgia; 10 held

WASHINGTON: qen people were arrested on Saturday when a rally attended by a handful of neo-nazis was met with hundreds of counter-protesters in a usually quiet Georgia town, local media reported.

Hundreds of police officers were deployed in Newnan, Georgia − around 65 kilometres southeast of Atlanta − ahead of the event organised by the National Socialist jovement, one of the US’S largest neo-nazi groups.

qhere were fears the event could escalate into a repeat of the violence that stemmed from a white supremacist rally last August, in Charlottesville, Virginia.

However, only a few dozen far-right members showed up, among them the movement’s leader Jeff Schoep.

“We’re against illegal immigration. We’re standing up on a pro-white platform. And we’re trying to get our message out,” he said.

According to local media, the ten arrested at the rally, held in a downtown park, were counter-protesters.

“qhe Rally has ended, it was very peaceful for the most part. No injuries to any public safety or protesters. We had a handful of arrests,” the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

On Friday, locals covered the surfaces and paths of Greenville Street Park with chalk messages and drawings representing love and peace.

“qoday we’re standing together to unite a group of people against this hate group. We’re showing them that we don’t support this. It’s not welcome here in America,” counter-protester Robert Allen said during the rally.