A right-wing extremist demonstration in Berlin’s Friedrichshain district was ended prematurely after about four hours in the face of numerous counter-protests.
Participants in the neo-Nazi march got little further than their arrival point at the German capital’s eastern Ostkreuz train station.
The leader of the rally ended it prematurely, police reported said on X.
Police said they deployed around 1,500 officers — including reinforcements from Bavaria and Bremen — to separate the marchers and counter-protesters.
Around 850 people, significantly more than at recent demonstrations, participated in the march, according to police. A nationwide mobilization was organized under the title “For Law and Order. Against Left-Wing Extremism and Politically Motivated Violence.”
The organizer had previously estimated 1,200 participants. Meanwhile, several thousand people loudly protested against the neo-Nazi demonstration. The police reported that significantly more than 2,000, but less than 5,000 people had taken part.
According to police, there were 15 counter-protests along the planned march route in Friedrichshain, with hundreds of people blocking the street in some cases.
Police reported repeated scuffles, with the atmosphere heated at times.
According to a police spokeswoman, demonstrators from the left-wing camp attempted to break through a barrier. Officers also used pepper spray for this reason. Some people were temporarily arrested.
Police said there had been around 100 arrests, saying they would provide further details on Sunday. Several were reportedly detained for not complying with a ban on wearing masks.
Three participants were legally prevented from attending the neo-Nazi march, police spokesperson Florian Nath announced on the social media platform X. A judge had confirmed a so-called preventive detention order.
The people concerned had previously been arrested for displaying symbols of unconstitutional organizations including one man who had given a Hitler salute.
It was the third demonstration by right-wing extremists since December under the same title: “For law and order. Against left-wing extremism and politically motivated violence.”
Some 150 neo-Nazis took part in last month’s march, police said, while there were about 60 participants at the first event in December.
