Arrests in Germany as rival groups stage demos

Berlin — More than two dozen demonstrators were arrested in the German capital on Saturday as hundreds of far-left and far-right activists staged rival marches, police said.

Security forces struggled to keep the opposing groups in Berlin apart as around 750 neo-Nazis took to the streets, faced by a counter-demonstration of about 1,000 from the far-left.

Around 200 left-wing protestors broke away from their main group and attempted to halt the far-right march, but police managed to keep the rival demonstrators at a distance.

Twenty-six protestors were arrested, 22 from the left-wing side and four from the far-right, police said.

A far-right activist was injured by a bottle thrown from the opposing march.

The neo-Nazi demonstration was organised in protest at a bomb attack on a cafe which was a meeting point for the far-right.

Right-wing activists blamed the attack on far-left groups but police have said the October 4 incident had no "political motive".

Police believe it was an act of vengeance by people who had in the past been turned away from the establishment.

AFP/Expatica