A neo-Nazi group was controversially given permission to hold a Saturday rally in Spandau, Berlin to mark the death of Rudolf Hess, Hitler’s former right-hand man, but counter-protesters came out in force against them. The rally ended three hours early after the group was blocked by the leftist protesters.

Neo-Nazi group granted permission for rally

It is not just the U.S. that is seeing white supremacists and counter-protesters in the streets right now and while the display of Nazi symbols, including the Hitler salute and the swastika, are banned in the country, this demonstration was legal.

Due to the country’s freedom of assembly laws, the neo-Nazis were allowed to hold their rally, provided they complied with strict criteria, including the type of banners carried in the march and wording used in their chants. According to Deutsche Welle, there was also a ban on military clothing during the rally.

That report quoted Berlin’s state interior secretary, Andreas Geisel, as saying he would have preferred to ban the rally, but after carefully reviewing the laws, they found the democratic and liberal order also holds true for “assholes.”

Neo-Nazi group meets strong opposition

Around 700 white supremacists headed out into the Spandau streets on Saturday and according to reporters at the scene, they were soon outnumbered by the counter-protesters, who were heard to chant the words “Nazis out!” and telling the neo-Nazis they "lost the war."

The rally was planned to run up until 8:00 PM but as the white supremacist group continued, they found themselves blocked by the counter-protesters and, unable to reach the prison where Hess died, cut their demonstration short at 5:00 PM Berlin time.

Berlin police were out in force with around 1,000 officers on the scene. Authorities reported a few small clashes between the two groups and headed to Twitter to say they were still on the scene, observing the “outflow” of the demonstrators.

Rudolf Hess died in prison in Spandau, Berlin

Hess was sentenced to life behind bars during the Nuremberg trials and died in prison after hanging himself in his cell.

However, reportedly some white supremacists are promoting a conspiracy theory that says Hitler's deputy was killed by British intelligence.

There has been a variety of marches held in different forms and locations over the years. Originally the rallies were held in Wunsiedel in Bavaria, where Hess was originally buried. Due to the demonstrations, authorities eventually exhumed his body and cremated it in an effort to stop further commemorations of Hess' death in the town.

The far-right protesters then turned their attention to Spandau, where Hess died in prison.

Counter-protester claims Donald Trump’s words brought her to the rally

According to a report by St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Eva Kese, 30, was part of the group of counter-protesters at the rally. Kese said she was inspired to join the counter-protest after U.S. President Donald Trump had responded to the violence in the Charlottesville rally by saying the blame for the violence, hatred and bigotry had “many sides.” Kese went on to speak about Trump’s reaction to the Charlottesville violence, saying you cannot stand for an ideology that states one side is inferior.

Kese, a mother of two children, said to reporters that there is only one side to the issue, “the good side” saying the neo-Nazis’ hate has no place in Germany. Kese was carrying a banner displaying a pink heart, while the neo-Nazis were seen to have a giant banner bearing the words, “I regret nothing.” In the interview, Kese again repeated the words, “There is only one side.” She can be seen standing against the neo-Nazi rally in the video included below.
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