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Violence in Hamburg

June 2, 2012

Thousands have taken to the streets in the German city of Hamburg, in a counter-demonstration to a neo-Nazi march. Barricades set up to prevent the far-right parade were set alight by counter demonstrators.

https://p.dw.com/p/1573r
A police officer in front of burning barricades
Image: dapd

Some 10,000 demonstrators against the far-right flocked to the rally at Hamburg's Rathausplatz, under the banner "Hamburg shows its True Colors."

"We stand together," Mayor of Hamburg Olaf Scholz told the rally, organized by a broad coalition of politicians, political parties, trade unions and social organizations. "We are proud to be a cosmopolitan city."

The counter demonstrators significantly outnumbered participants in the German parade, named The Day of the German Future.

Some 700 neo Nazis took part in the march along a route that was shortened amid instances of violence.

Effort to hinder parade

In the district of Wandsbeck, some 4,400 people gathered separately to block the planned path of the parade - some of them erecting barriers that were subsequently set alight.

Cars, including police vehicles were also set on fire, with stones thrown at police as they moved in around the counter demonstrators.

Officers were unable to remove those blocking the route, although the blazes were largely extinguished with water cannons. "There were simply too many counter-demonstrators," said a police spokeswoman.

Some 19 police officers were reported to have been injured, with 12 arrests, mainly of anti-Nazi demonstrators.

rc/jlw (dapd, dpa, AFP)