German police shut down neo-Nazi concert after violence

Some 800 people attend event in eastern town of Apolda as 500 counter-protesters hold late-night vigils and church service

By AP 7 October 2018, 5:45 pm

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In this October 6, 2018 photo police officers search a visitor of a far right rock concert in Aploda, Germany. Slogan on the shirt reads 'guaranteed indexed'. (Sebastian Haak/dpa via AP)

BERLIN — German police ended a far-right concert early after eight officers were slightly injured by neo-Nazis throwing bottles and rocks at them.

The German news agency dpa reported Sunday that some 800 neo-Nazis attended the concert late Saturday in the eastern German town of Apolda, while around 500 people came for a counter-protest holding vigils and attending a late-night church service.

Police officers had to use pepper spray and batons when some neo-Nazis tried to break through police barriers.

The eastern state of Thuringia has long been a center for neo-Nazi concerts.

Efforts to ban the concert didn’t succeed because the concert’s organizers moved to another venue after they were blocked from using their initial site.