Protesters block neo-Nazi march to Berlin prison

BERLIN — Left-wing groups and Berlin residents prevented more than 500 far-right extremists from marching Saturday to the Berlin prison where high-ranking Nazi official Rudolf Hess died decades ago.

Police in riot gear kept the neo-Nazis and an estimated 1,000 counter-protesters apart as the two sides staged competing rallies in the German capital’s western district of Spandau.

Far-right protesters had planned to march to the site of the former Spandau prison, where Hess hanged himself in 1987, but were forced to turn back because of a blockade by counter-protesters.

After changing their route, the neo-Nazis, who had come from all over Germany and neighboring European countries, returned to Spandau’s main station for speeches amid jeers and chants of “Nazis go home!” and “You lost the war!” from counter-protesters.

Authorities had imposed restrictions on the march to ensure that it passed peacefully. Organizers were told they couldn’t glorify Hess or the Nazi regime, carry weapons, drums or torches, and could bring only one flag for every 25 participants.

Police say they generally try to balance protesters’ rights to free speech and free assembly against the rights of counterdemonstrators and residents. The rules mean that shields, helmets and batons carried by far-right and Neo-Nazi protesters recently in Charlottesville, Va., wouldn’t be allowed in Germany. Openly anti-Semitic chants would also prompt German police to intervene.

Among those demonstrating against the neo-Nazis was Jossa Berntje. The 64-year-old cited the clashes in Charlottesville and her parents’ experience of living under the Nazis as her reason for coming.

“The rats are coming out of the sewers,” she said. “(President) Trump has made it socially acceptable.”