German police put end to far-right march
Several nationalist groups join forces, but are met by equal number of counter-protesters
CHEMNITZ, Germany — Police in eastern Germany brought an early end Saturday to an anti-migrant march that far-right activists hoped would launch a nationwide movement to challenge the political establishment, with the fatal stabbing of a German citizen as the catalyst.
A trio of nationalist groups held separate rallies in the city of Chemnitz over the Aug. 26 slaying for which a Syrian and an Iraqi citizen were arrested. The two largest groups also organized their first joint march, a display of unity meant to build on other protests since the killing and a potent force to take hold.
Saxony state police cited security concerns for halting the march after more than an hour, with no violence or vandalism as the crowd dispersed.
The progress of the far-right march had been interrupted several times before then as counter-protesters blocked the route and the sizable police contingent on hand rushed to keep them and the marchers apart. Saxony police estimated the event had 4,500 participants and 4,000 counter-protesters.
The emboldened far-right activists had reason to be optimistic and local authorities to be worried after the opposing camps clashed in Chemnitz on Monday, the day after the 35-year-old German man’s death. Scenes of vigilantes chasing foreigners in the city’s streets have shocked people in others parts of Germany since then.
The mood at the event bringing together previously isolated clusters of nationalists — from lawmakers to Hitler-saluting skinheads — darkened as the sun set. People from both ends of the political spectrum could be seen shouting slurs at police.
The tension in the air reflected the polarization over Germany’s ongoing effort to come to terms with an influx of more than 1 million refugees and migrants seeking jobs since 2015.
German Justice Minister Katarina Barley said Saturday that authorities should investigate the role of networks from the radical far right in the week’s protests.
“We do not tolerate that right-wing extremists infiltrate our society,” Barley told weekly newspaper Bild am Sonntag. “It’s about finding out who’s behind the mobilization of far-right criminals.”