Europe News

Rioting in Dortmund as neo-Nazis hold demonstration

Sep 3, 2011, 12:50 GMT

Dortmund, Germany - Police using water cannons and batons intervened Saturday after a neo-Nazi march in the German city of Dortmund descended into rioting between the far-right and anti-fascist counter-demonstrators.

Around 400 neo-Nazis had gathered in the western city for a planned march, but were met by around 4,000 left-wing activists, according to police estimates.

Although many of the anti-Nazi demonstrators protested peacefully, a group attacked the neo-Nazis, prompting a massive police intervention after they failed to separate the two groups.

Even before the march got underway, police had used pepper spray and reported several injuries after around 100 counter-demonstrators had evaded a roadblock.

Guntram Schneider, the minister for integration in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia who is participating the counter-demonstration, said it was intolerable that the neo-Nazis were allowed to march through Dortmund each year.