Monday, 21 October
Violent clash of groups at Neo-nazi demo in Marzahn
Several violent incidents erupted following demonstrations by left-wing and right-wing groups on Saturday in Marzahn-Hellersdorf. The violence, police reported on Sunday, led to a total of 39 arrests and 11 criminal proceedings.
A neo-Nazi demonstration entitled “Against left-wing propaganda and lies of Antifa” began shortly after 3pm at Otto-Rosenberg-Platz. While 400 demonstrators had been registered to take part in the neo-Nazi counter-protest, fewer than 100 participants were actually present, with a notably high number of young men. Reich flags were visible at the demonstration, as was clothing from the right-wing extremist party ‘The Third Way’. Police were present to protect a refugee shelter that was en route, and passers-by reacted to the demonstrators by shouting “Nazis out”.
According to police, a journalist was attacked on the sidelines of the neo-Nazi protest, and several criminal investigations were initiated against participants for using symbols of unconstitutional organisations and violating the weapons law.
It was immediately followed by a leftist demo entitled “Let the patriarchy die – anti-fascists fight”. At its peak, the protest saw some 1,300 people take part. Both marches are said to have ended within an hour of each other, during which an incident occurred in the Mehrower Allee S-Bahn area where two neo-Nazi participants were attacked by a group of 10 masked individuals. They were kicked and beaten, and had their cellphones stolen.
Another individual’s car was reportedly damaged and set on fire in the afternoon. State security has taken over the investigations in both cases. The 11 criminal proceedings were based on suspicion of resistance and physical assault against law enforcement officers, dangerous bodily harm, violation of the weapons law and attempted arson and misuse of emergency calls, among other things.
