Counter-protesters block neo-Nazi march in Berlin

[CaliCat 3,957]

Another group is denied celebrating their heritage and history. Oh du liber Gott! Those bad leftwingers...

Counter-protesters block neo-Nazi march in Berlin

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/20/counter-protesters-block-neo-nazi-march-in-berlin

 

Leftwing groups and Berlin residents have prevented more than 500 neo-Nazis from marching to the place where Rudolf Hess died 30 years ago.

Police in riot gear kept the far-right extremists and an estimated 1,000 counter-protesters apart on Saturday 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 the high-ranking Nazi official hanged himself in 1987, but were forced to turn back after about half a mile because of a blockade by counter-protesters.

Among those demonstrating against the neo-Nazis was Jossa Berntje from the western city of Koblenz. 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. “Trump has made it socially acceptable.”

Hess, who received a life sentence at the Nuremberg trials for his role in planning the second world war, died on 17 August 1987. Allied authorities ruled his death a suicide, but Nazi sympathisers have long claimed he was killed and organise annual marches in his honour.

Those annual far-right marches used to take place in the Bavarian town of Wunsiedel, where Hess was buried until authorities removed his remains.

 

ETA: The guy carrying the statue of Edith Piaff apparently didn't make it to the parade on time. 

Edited August 21, 2017 by CaliCat

[Dashinka 23,421]

You have to wonder if the counter-protestors weren't there if this would even be news.  Thankfully, the Left has found it's war on drugs.

[IAMX 3,055]

57 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

You have to wonder if the counter-protestors weren't there if this would even be news.  Thankfully, the Left has found it's war on drugs.

Gotta feel good about something. Not been a good year to be leftist. 

[spookyturtle 9,465]

1 hour ago, Bill & Katya said:

You have to wonder if the counter-protestors weren't there if this would even be news.  Thankfully, the Left has found it's war on drugs.

Just like the right. Right? 

[Steeleballz 7,550]

9 minutes ago, spookyturtle said:

Just like the right. Right? 

 Right!

[CaliCat 3,957]

2 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

You have to wonder if the counter-protestors weren't there if this would even be news.  Thankfully, the Left has found it's war on drugs.

 

Berliners are a crazy bunch. I should know. I married one. 

[Póg mo 1,749]

2 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

You have to wonder if the counter-protestors weren't there if this would even be news.  Thankfully, the Left has found it's war on drugs.

You might be right. The Nazis used to use a similar tactic to provoke anyone they didn't like, so they could act like heroes by attacking the same people they provoked in the first place.

[Dashinka 23,421]

37 minutes ago, Póg mo said:

You might be right. The Nazis used to use a similar tactic to provoke anyone they didn't like, so they could act like heroes by attacking the same people they provoked in the first place.

My point was that I read these neonazi marches are an annual thing in Germany, but largely these groups are marginalized and get very little media attention.  Now with the counter protests and the possibility of violence the press is interested.  It would seem that ignoring  these groups is the best course of action as trying to reason with extremist of either side is next to impossible, which I liken to the war on drugs.  But by all means, keep pushing that rope.

[CaliCat 3,957]

39 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

My point was that I read these neonazi marches are an annual thing in Germany, but largely these groups are marginalized and get very little media attention.  Now with the counter protests and the possibility of violence the press is interested.  It would seem that ignoring  these groups is the best course of action as trying to reason with extremist of either side is next to impossible, which I liken to the war on drugs.  But by all means, keep pushing that rope.

 

What changed perhaps is that people realized that if they didn't take action, these marches would gain a sense of normalcy and be validated. Their position is that these neo-Nazis will not ever walk along their neighborhoods with their messages of hate, without being challenged and denied.

It's no different than Americans rising up and taking their streets back from the thugs in Charlottesville or Boston, and letting them know in no uncertain terms, that they will not walk about spewing hate, without being challenged and denied every step of the way.

We've been complacent for much too long. 

[Dashinka 23,421]

24 minutes ago, CaliCat said:

 

What changed perhaps is that people realized that if they didn't take action, these marches would gain a sense of normalcy and be validated. Their position is that these neo-Nazis will not ever walk along their neighborhoods with their messages of hate, without being challenged and denied.

It's no different than Americans rising up and taking their streets back from the thugs in Charlottesville or Boston, and letting them know in no uncertain terms, that they will not walk about spewing hate, without being challenged and denied every step of the way.

We've been complacent for much too long. 

So for almost 20 years these marches have been happening, and just now they are afraid they may take hold?  As to taking the streets back in Charlottesville, or Boston, it seems to me if the media and other side ignored them, the streets would be just as safe and free when everyone went home.  Conflict has different sides with each proclaiming they are right.  When one side ignores the other, no conflict exist and life moves on.  If you think you are going to change the stripes of these extremists, then you have much more energy that I do, but by all means feel free.

[Póg mo 1,749]

1 minute ago, Bill & Katya said:

So for almost 20 years these marches have been happening, and just now they are afraid they may take hold?  As to taking the streets back in Charlottesville, or Boston, it seems to me if the media and other side ignored them, the streets would be just as safe and free when everyone went home.  Conflict has different sides with each proclaiming they are right.  When one side ignores the other, no conflict exist and life moves on.  If you think you are going to change the stripes of these extremists, then you have much more energy that I do, but by all means feel free.

There are a lot of things happening at the moment. The Syrian refugee crisis, and the reemergence of authoriterism in the US, coupled with powerful internet based propaganda news outlets and things can get real nasty, real quick. Steve Bannon said as much the other day in his off the record interview.  Racists today, aren't your father's racists. They are very media savvy and know weLL how to twist facts.

[IAMX 3,055]

11 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

So for almost 20 years these marches have been happening, and just now they are afraid they may take hold?  As to taking the streets back in Charlottesville, or Boston, it seems to me if the media and other side ignored them, the streets would be just as safe and free when everyone went home.  Conflict has different sides with each proclaiming they are right.  When one side ignores the other, no conflict exist and life moves on.  If you think you are going to change the stripes of these extremists, then you have much more energy that I do, but by all means feel free.

The left are desperate to find demons to exercise their political fetishes of censorship upon. The fact that they've been regularly losing since the Nov 2016 elections shows increased amounts of said desperation. That's why they're trying so desperately to make such a large fuss over this white supremacist thing, turning it into "Nazi" and "KKK" comedy. 

 

Somehow they think this will wind up a negative message for Trump, but as I've said before, it's just directing people's attention to them, making Trump look sane. If these people weren't throwing tantrums they'd think but a foot in front of their face. It is what it is though.. not sure if we'll get to experience this level of tantrum throwing stupidity again in my life, so its ideal to make the most of it. 

Edited August 22, 2017 by IAMX

[CaliCat 3,957]

17 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

So for almost 20 years these marches have been happening, and just now they are afraid they may take hold?  As to taking the streets back in Charlottesville, or Boston, it seems to me if the media and other side ignored them, the streets would be just as safe and free when everyone went home.  Conflict has different sides with each proclaiming they are right.  When one side ignores the other, no conflict exist and life moves on.  If you think you are going to change the stripes of these extremists, then you have much more energy that I do, but by all means feel free.

 

I think they are doing it 20 years too late. These nuts need to know their fellow citizens will not accept their ideas of ethic cleansing and white supremacy. Someone needs to stand up and let them know their cause has no place in the civilized world. We have been demanding the same type of condemnation from Muslim leaders, whose faith is under siege by terrorists. We need to lead by example, now that we find ourselves in their shoes.