BERLIN - About 1,000 neo-Nazi skinheads marched through central Berlin on Saturday, holding up a banner saying ''You can't forbid Germany'' and scuffling with leftist counterdemonstrators. Police reported 14 arrests.
Berlin city officials had allowed the neo-Nazis to march on the condition that they leave flags, drums and torches at home. But 12 were arrested for other offenses, mainly displaying banned Nazi symbols such as swastikas or wearing old Nazi uniforms. Two protesters from the other camp were also arrested.
Some 1,000 leftist protesters tried to block the neo-Nazis at several points along their route from the Friedrichstrasse train station to central Alexanderplatz square, but were restrained by police. Scuffles broke out after the march, but police reported no injuries.
The neo-Nazis had called the march to protest efforts by the German government to outlaw the far-right National Democratic Party, which security officials blame in part for rising racist and anti-Semitic violence in Germany.
