(11 Mar 2012)
1. Wide of nationalist protesters in Katedrale Square
2. SOUNDBITE: (Lithuanian) Julius Panka, Lithuania's national youth union:
"We are Lithuanians, we are nationalists, and we denounce the humiliation of other nations. And people who call us neo-Nazis want to exploit the Jewish tragedy, their Holocaust, from other pain and suffering."
3. Mid of nationalists with Lithuanian flags
4. Wide of Dovid Katz, Doctor of Philology, Vilnius Yiddish Institute
5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dovid Katz, Doctor of Philology, Vilnius Yiddish Institute:
"I think that independence day is a wonderful day for Lithuania that I have been celebrating all the years I am here. I think it is a tragic mistake that the government lets neo-Nazis hijack Lithuanian independence day, on this day in the centre of the beautiful capital city of Vilnius."
6. Wide of people holding anti-Nazi posters
7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Algirdas Paleckis, Lithuanian:
"Yes, we are here to protest against neo-fascists because the slogan 'Lithuania for the Lithuanians' is neo-fascist slogan. So we are here to say there is no nationalist solutions to Lithuanian problems. There are only social and economic solutions to the problems. And that's it. I'm very sad that the government is allowing this demonstration that we see."
8. Woman with poster reading (Lithuanian) "Lithuania without Nazism"
9. Police arresting anti-Nazi protester
10. Police removing anti-Nazi protesters from street
11. Wide of nationalist demonstration
12. Close of flag reading (Lithuanian) "Skinhead Lithuania"
13. Nationalists with flags chanting (Lithuanian) "Lithuania Lithuania"
14. Various of people singing Lithuanian national anthem
15. Wide of people with flags singing
STORYLINE:
Around 1-thousand nationalists have marched through the Lithuanian capital to celebrate the country's Independence Day, under the close watch of riot police.
The annual march in Vilnius has been criticized by Jewish groups, who say it is arranged by organisation with "blatant records of extremist public anti-Semitism."
Julius Panka, the leader of Lithuania's national youth union, said on Sunday however "people who call us neo-Nazis want to exploit the Jewish tragedy, their Holocaust, from other pain and suffering."
In an addition to Lithuanians, marchers came from Poland, Sweden and several other countries.
Police said one person was detained for a minor public order violation, but the march proceeded without any violence.
About 200 people turned up for a counter-demonstration.
Dovid Katz, of the Vilnius Yiddish Institute, called it a "tragic mistake" for the government to let "neo-Nazis hijack Lithuanian independence day, on this day in the centre of the beautiful capital city."
Another protester said the nationalist slogan 'Lithuania for the Lithuanians' was "neo-fascist".
"We are here to say there is no nationalist solutions to Lithuanian problems," he added. "There are only social and economic solutions to the problems."
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11 окт 2024
