WEST GERMANY: DEMONSTRATORS CLASH WITH POLICE AS FINAL N.P.D. ELECTION RALLY IS DISRUPTED

Record ID: 433890

  • Title: WEST GERMANY: DEMONSTRATORS CLASH WITH POLICE AS FINAL N.P.D. ELECTION RALLY IS DISRUPTED
  • Date: 27th September 1969
  • Summary: DEMONSTRATORS CONFRONT POLICE, PULL AT BARRICADES; WATER CANNON; DEMONSTRATORS GIVE NAZI SALUTE; POLICE WRESTLE WITH BARRICADE; INJURED POLICEMAN. Initials AH/VS/MR/PC Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 12th October 1969 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NUREMBERG, WEST GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Reuters ID: LVADEC5LZ5NRZQIJRK1B4P9RAY2R
  • Story Text: THOUSANDS OF JEERING NUREMBERG DEMONSTRATORS FORCED THE FINAL ELECTION RALLY OF ADOLF VAN THADDEN, LEADER OF THE ULTRA-RIGHT WING NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY (NPD) TO BE CALLED OFF YESTERDAY (FRIDAY) NIGHT.

    POLICE HALTED THE RALLY IN THE FACE OF A 15,000 STRONG CROWD - MOST OF THEM VIOLENTLY HOSTILE TO HERR VON THADDEN - BEFORE THE NPD LEADER COULD SPEAK.

    AS ABOUT 300 DEMONSTRATORS STORMED THROUGH BARBED WIRE BARRICADES DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE PARTY LEADERS, POLICE OPENED UP WITH WATER CANNON.

    ANOTHER GROUP OF DEMONSTRATORS RAN THROUGH THE CITY CENTRE SCREAMING "PIGS" AND "GESTAPO" AND TEARING DOWN NPD POSTERS. ONE GIANT PLACARD WAS PULLED DOWN AND SET ON FIRE.

    TWENTY-EIGHT POLICEMEN WERE INJURED IN CLASHES WITH THE DEMONSTRATORS. FOUR OF THEM WERE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL, BUT WERE LATER RELEASED. ANOTHER THREE PEOPLE WERE HURT IN THE CLASHES IN PICTURESQUE EGIDION SQUARE, WHICH CONTINUED LONG AFTER POLICE HAD ANNOUNCED THAT HERR VON THADDEN WOULD NOT SPEAK.

    NUREMBERG POLICE CHIEF, DR. HORST HEROLD, LATER TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE THAT THE RALLY HAD BEEN HALTED BECAUSE PUBLIC SAFETY COULD NOT BE GUARANTEED - EVEN THOUGH 1,200 POLICE HAD BEEN RUSHED INTO THE CITY TO TACKLE THE SITUATION.

    THE RALLY - IN THE CITY WHERE MANY OF HITLER'S MASSIVE NAZI RALLIES WERE HELD - WAS TO HAVE CLIMAXED HERR VAN THADDEN'S CAMPAIGN FOR VOTES IN SUNDAY'S GENERAL ELECTION.

    TODAY (SATURDAY), THE NPD ISSUED A STATEMENT ACCUSING THE NUREMBERG AUTHORITIES AND OTHER WEST GERMAN POLITICAL PARTIES OF CONTRIVING A PLOT TO DISRUPT THE RALLY. THE POLICE WERE ACCUSED OF TAKING INSUFFICIENT MEASURES TO COMBAT HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS.
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