As every Monday PEGIDA gathered once again on October 10th in Munich. Less then one hundred participated came together. Speeches were a mixture of openly displayed racism, confused attempts to explain that Ukrainian Church architecture is more beautiful than protestant and islamic and a relativization of Donald Trumps sexism. Furthermore a small group of neonazis was able to get into the Feldherrnhalle. Rolf H. – known for violent attacks on journalists – prevented a video-documentation of the scene. Convicted neonazi terrorist Karl-Heinz Statzberger led anti-foreign slogans. Alderman Karl Richter marched – after speaking – at the front banner.
Neonazis once again climb Feldherrnhalle
Almost exactly one year ago, a group of neonazis managed to enter the historically charged Feldhernhalle during a PEGIDA rally and shouted: ‘Hasta la vista, Antifascista’. 24mmjournalism documented the incident. The video was shown in the evening news on BR. What happened was even topic in Munich’s city council.
#neonazi terroristen gehen auf feldherrnhalle und rufen “hasta la vista antifacista” @PolizeiMuenchen ignoriert pic.twitter.com/F6Nt72waeA
— 24mmjournalism (@24mmjournalism) 12. Oktober 2015
Almost one year later some of the same neonazis tried to stage a similar situation. Dan Eising, that has also spoken at PEGIDA Munich, Petra K. and a comrade entered the building during the rally on October 10th. Police did not prevent this even though the group’s plans were more than obvious just minutes after their arrival. Civil police arrived relatively soon on site and guided the group off the building before they had a chance to pose. Whilst this was happening photo- and videojournalists were blocked from documenting the situation. Not by police, but by a a very well known violent PEGIDA participant. A long list of violent acts against press photographers, but as well against counter protest draws a red line through Rolf H.’s actions during rallies. Recently he was convicted in Nuremberg for giving a colleague a headbutt. He has also a journalist and is well known for preventing documentary and journalistic work during rallies with a flag. Today he pushed over a colleague and well documented in this picture blocked journalists from reaching the site of action:
Police did not intervene, but watched.
Racism and Neonazi Lead at PEGIDA Munich
This weeks speaker at PEGIDA Munich – also once again – alderman Karl Richter, that is part of the city council for the racist ‘BIA’. This so called ‘citizen’s initiative’ is run by neonazi party NPD and has preached hatred against foreigners and people seeking asylum for the past years. After his rather short speech he joined the march at the front-banner. The demonstration led to the place where Non-Citizens had held a protest camp for four weeks, before starting a protest march to Nuremberg. PEGIDA held a rally mid-way at Sendlinger Tor before marching back to Odeonsplatz. Speakers were not set up, but 24mmjournalism was still able to hear what Heinz Meyer and Karl Richter said.
Richter undermined how important it is to him that nationalist resistance ist organized, as well as the fact that the turn PEGIDA Munich has taken makes him feel very comfortable amongst the group. Heinz Meyer that earlier spoke about Ukranian church-architecture surpassing protestant or muslimic church architecture by far – which seems very confused – displayed his racism openly as rarely heard. This statement was made by Meyer, regarding refugees protesting:
‘… Ich weiß nicht, was diese Neger (sic!) hier wollen, es hat sie keiner eingeladen! …’
roughly translated:
‘… I don’t know what these niggers (sic!) are looking for here, nobody invited them! …’
This completes a picture of a PEGIDA Munich leader filled with hatred and racism once again. This also perfectly in the picture that could be witnessed during the march – as tweeted by 24mmjournalism convicted neonazi terrorist Karl-Heinz Statzberger once again took the lead today.
Counter protest repeatedly was blocked from getting close to the PEGIDA rally. All in all Munich does not leave a nice impression on this cold Monday October 10th.
Small Videoreport by Colleague SPICY