On Saturday, February 13th, the day Dresden was bombed by the Allied Forces in 1945, more than 10,000 residents of the city of Dresden stood together to form a human chain, blocking the movement of a Neo-Nazi demonstration.
This demonstration is an annual occurrence, and city officials expected it to be the largest Neo-Nazi protest since the 1940’s. Much disagreement had been raised as to the presence of this demonstration, but Appeals Courts in Germany had upheld it’s right to proceed. Police were to do nothing to impede the Neo-Nazis unless it threatened public safety.
So the people of the city took charge instead. The 10,000 or so residents of Dresden stood there, blocking the movement of the demonstration. The people succeeded, and sent the Neo-Nazis back to their homes, signalling a large and momentous change in the public voice of the German people. “Dresden doesn’t want them and these groups do not belong here,” said Dresden Mayor Helma Orosz.
Most of the demonstrators left by train, coincidentally at the same train station that the Nazi’s had used to deport Jews. “The Nazis are being deported, destination unknown,” said a protester.
