BBC News Online: World: Europe


Front Page | World | UK | UK Politics | Business | Sci/Tech | Health | Education | Sport | Entertainment | Talking Point | High Graphics | On Air | Feedback | Help | Noticias | Newyddion |
Saturday, September 19, 1998 Published at 21:32 GMT 22:32 UK

Clashes at German far-right march


Clashes at German far-right march

German police have arrested dozens of people after violent clashes at a march by more than 2,000 right-wing extremists in the Baltic port city of Rostock.

Supporters of the far-right National Democratic Party of Germany - most of them young skinheads - marched through an eastern suburb of the city in former East Germany, banging drums and chanting "German Jobs for Germans First".

About 5,000 police from across Germany were deployed in an attempt to prevent clashes between the marchers and a similar number of left-wing opponents.

Those detained on both sides face violence and public order charges, and some of the far right activists were charged with displaying banned Nazi symbols.

More than 200 weapons were also seized.

March ban overturned

The city authorities attempted to ban the march but the ban was overturned when the organisers agreed not to march near a building formerly used to house many Vietnamese which had been set on fire in 1992.

In May a National Democratic Party election rally in another east German city, Leipzig, descended into violence as party supporters fought with left-wing protestors who disrupted the rally.

Leipzig authorities also tried to ban that rally, but were overruled by a higher court.

A similar march in Rostock six years ago sparked five days of rioting.

The National Democratic Party has made the economically depressed state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where Rostock is situated, a focus of its election campaign.


Europe Contents

Country profiles

In this section

Violence greets Clinton visit
Russian forces pound Grozny
EU fraud: a billion dollar bill
Next steps for peace
Cardinal may face loan-shark charges
Vodafone takeover battle heats up (From Business)
Trans-Turkish pipeline deal signed
French party seeks new leader
Jube tube debut
Athens riots for Clinton visit
UN envoy discusses Chechnya in Moscow
Solana new Western European Union chief
Moldova's PM-designate withdraws
Chechen government welcomes summit
In pictures: Clinton's violent welcome
Georgia protests over Russian 'attack'
UN chief: No Chechen 'catastrophe'
New arms control treaty for Europe
Mannesmann fights back (From Business)
EU fraud -- a billion-dollar bill
New moves in Spain's terror scandal
EU allows labelling of British beef
UN seeks more security in Chechnya
Athens riots for Clinton visit
Russia's media war over Chechnya
Homeless suffer as quake toll rises
Analysis: East-West relations must shift


Front Page | World | UK | UK Politics | Business | Sci/Tech | Health | Education | Sport | Entertainment | Talking Point | High Graphics | On Air | Feedback | Help | Noticias | Newyddion |


Back to top | BBC News Home | BBC Homepage | ©