German court bans neo-nazis' May 8th march around holocaust memorial

BERLIN, Germany's highest court on Friday dismissed an appeal by the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD) to march around Berlin's Holocaust memorial on May 8th.

German Interior Minister Otto Schily welcomed the decision, saying that it made neo-nazis unable to dishonor the remembrance of the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust.

Thousands of leftists would stage a rally around eastern Berlin' s main square Alexanderplatz to protest and block off NPD's planned march on May 8th, local media reported.

Berlin authorities expected high tensions and confrontations between leftists and neo-nazis and planned to send thousands of police there, it reported.

Meanwhile, Berlin authorities will hold a two-day rallies titled "Democracy Day" around the Brandenburg Gate in central Berlin, marking the 60th anniversary of end of the WWII.

A law banning rallies by neo-Nazis in sensitive areas including Berlin's Brandenburg Gate and the nearby Holocaust memorial took effect in March.

The move made it easier for German authorities to block the planned march by NPD at the Brandenburg Gate on May 8th.

The NPD's intention to march raised alarm among politicians andpeople in Germany.

In January, the NPD staged a walkout and refused to observe a minute's silence in the Saxony parliament for millions of Nazi victims, prompting calls to ban the party.

Last September, the NPD shocked Germans by winning 9.2 percent of the vote in elections in the eastern German state of Saxony gaining 12 seats in the state parliament.

Stop while your ahead, or take a nap and your meds. Seriously.You seem to live in your sarcastic world.

Brilliant observation, given my obvious tags thus far.

But you should think about your ambivalent views.

My views aren't "ambivalent"; I find the idea of outlawing mere ideas abhorrent. Your mileage obviously varies.

We fight Nazism, while you sit at your Computer and enjoy criticizing others.

Who's "we?" People claim to be all sorts of things online. Second, how would you know who I am or what I do? Answer: you don't. You simply lie.

Better you start cleaning your house.

My house is fine; yours is that which cannot stand differing opinions. I.e., your house is built on lies and treachery. Good luck with that.

"We" is the German nation, which stands very strong on democracy, free speech, human rights and human dignity. We do not want that Neo-Nazis violate the dignity of the Nazi era victims. But we allow them to demonstrate somewhere else. I´m not sure if you´d allow followers of the Southeners to spit on the graves of Unionists.
Your views are indeed ambivalent. You want us to allow demonstrations everywhere, but also don´t want Neo-Nazis to insult Jewish victims, do you? So, you and we can´t have both. That´s why we ban the Neo-Nazi march around the memorial? Got a problem with that? So be it. But shut up and take care of America before telling us how we treat our Neo-Nazis!

"We" is the German nation, which stands very strong on democracy, free speech, human rights and human dignity.

Try selling this to someone who doesn't know you routinely outlaw political expression. "Free speech"...as long as your speech agrees with the government.

We do not want that Neo-Nazis violate the dignity of the Nazi era victims. But we allow them to demonstrate somewhere else. I´m not sure if you´d allow followers of the Southeners to spit on the graves of Unionists.

Of course not. I'd not allow Nazis to demonstrate by spitting on Jewish graves, either. What I wouldn't do is try to marginalize them and make them stronger, as you do. Ever notice how our neo-Nazi movements here in America can't get more than a dozen people or so for their "marches?" Seems our way works better.

Your views are indeed ambivalent. You want us to allow demonstrations everywhere, but also don´t want Neo-Nazis to insult Jewish victims, do you?

As long as the insults aren't directly violent, I've no problem with it. No assault, no vandalism, no problem; I'm not afraid of Nazis or what they believe. Acting the way you do only makes them stronger; this is evidenced by the relative successes of American or British Nazis compared to German Nazis. We don't have thousands of them marching about, do we?

But shut up and take care of America before telling us how we treat our Neo-Nazis!

America's fine on this score; we allow people to believe and express nearly any idea out there, and in consequence, our Nazis are far less motivated and organized than yours.

Perhaps you could learn from us how to deal with Nazis. As I recall, we had to teach you during WWII as well.

/grandfather was a National Socialist in Germany

And now you´re trying to sell me your dumb stuff? Oh, you wanna tell me I was not allowed to spread my pro-Iraq-war-opinion in readers comments and on the streets? You want to tell me that we have no real opposition that is allowed to inform the public, since their views are against the government? We have freedom of speech. But freedom of speech ends where the dignity of others starts. Your neo-Nazi movement is rather popular in small towns, in the rural areas, while ours is attractive for jobless & poor in the bigger cities. That´s a main difference. Plus, nobody cares in the US when Neo-Nazis march somewhere. Here, it´s a state affair.

We have another difference: we had Nazis governing our country - and it certainly isn´t tasteful when their grandsons show that they´ve nothing learned at all.
We had enough Nazis marching through the Brandenburg Gate. We don´t need it again.

You don´t know that the Neo-Nazis in Europe and America are working together on high levels, and that much of the propaganda that´s spread here is printed and sometimes even financed in America, because it´s legal there?

The organization is advandced, on both sides of the pond.

As I recall it, 60 years ago Americans didn´t teach my grandfathers how to deal with Nazis, but how to fight a military that was already defeated by the Soviets. The war was already decided when the Operation Barbarossa stopped near Moscow and Leningrad. The defeat in Stalingrad and the downfall afterwards were just the consequences.
By the way, I told you that you should clean your house before telling us how to do so. America isn´t Nazi-free and you too have very similar rules for "free speech". I guess it´s a greater risk to get punishment when burning in the US an American flag on the streets (legal) than burning a German flag on our streets (which is illegal). So, just go on with your life, and I do with mine. Our situation is unique. Come back when you´ve a similar past of Nazis terrorizing others - then you surely understand our restrictions on demonstrations.

On one note I agree with you: we give Neo-Nazis way too much attention. Let them apply for demonstrations at the Brandenburg Gate and let those applications be dismissed. But don´t report about it in the national news. It isn´t news, and it isn´t interesting. Watch the Nazi movement, but do it silently. Nazis understand the saying "bad PR is better than no PR." - The media still needs to get that.

And now you´re trying to sell me your dumb stuff?

Not in the least; the facts stand on their own, whether you accept them or not. Our Nazis are not as organized, numerous or motivated as yours. Fact.

Oh, you wanna tell me I was not allowed to spread my pro-Iraq-war-opinion in readers comments and on the streets?

I have no idea what you believe this has to do with anything under discussion. Is is not illegal in your country to suggest that Jews were responsible for the war, or that the number of Jewish dead is suspect? You seem to expect us all to be entirely ignorant of Germany.

You want to tell me that we have no real opposition that is allowed to inform the public, since their views are against the government?

Certainly. Tell me, what is the legal status of the National Socialist party?

Oh, that's right...it's illegal. Their ideas are illegal.

We have freedom of speech. But freedom of speech ends where the dignity of others starts.

Not in a free society, it doesn't.

Your neo-Nazi movement is rather popular in small towns, in the rural areas, while ours is attractive for jobless & poor in the bigger cities. That´s a main difference. Plus, nobody cares in the US when Neo-Nazis march somewhere. Here, it´s a state affair.

And why is that? Our Nazis go nowhere. Yours are a "state affair." Hrm...

We had enough Nazis marching through the Brandenburg Gate. We don´t need it again.

So you simply outlaw their ideas, making them "taboo" and fueling the perception that the Jews who secretly run Western governments really are oppressing them. Seems to be working, eh?

You don´t know that the Neo-Nazis in Europe and America are working together on high levels, and that much of the propaganda that´s spread here is printed and sometimes even financed in America, because it´s legal there?

I'm aware that our freedom of speech in America provides the means for mere ideas banned in your country to be put in print, yes. As for "working together on high levels", none of these people are at a high level to begin with. They get nowhere. BR>
The organization is advandced, on both sides of the pond.
To what end? Where do you see them going with this? Nowhere.

As I recall it, 60 years ago Americans didn´t teach my grandfathers how to deal with Nazis, but how to fight a military that was already defeated by the Soviets.

Nice of the Soviets to take care of Western Europe for us. Why the hell were we at Normandy to begin with, then?

By the way, I told you that you should clean your house before telling us how to do so. America isn´t Nazi-free and you too have very similar rules for "free speech".

America isn't free of Nazis, but our Nazis are nothing. They don't march, they don't challenge the government, they don't publicly protest in the thousands. Second, our laws regarding speech are far different than yours; no one is going to be locked up in America for asking "maybe the Jews had something to do with the causes of WWII..."

Come back when you´ve a similar past of Nazis terrorizing others - then you surely understand our restrictions on demonstrations.

I will never understand why you're so afraid Nazis are right that you have to try and squash them at every turn. When did Hitler write his opus, again? In prison...? How'd that work out for y'all?

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