European edition, Saturday, July 7, 2007
U.S. military personnel should avoid Frankfurt on Saturday, according to a message that went out Friday to servicemembers in Germany.
A bulletin issued by Pond Security Service, which provides security for 80 percent of U.S. bases in the country, warns that more than 7,000 people are expected to turn out for midday demonstrations that could become violent.
About 8,000 police officers are expected to be on hand.
The National Democratic Party, or NPD, a right-wing nationalist group, received final approval Monday to demonstrate through industrial and residential areas of the city, according to the Web site for Hessischer Rundfunk, or HR, the largest public television provider in the German state of Hessen.
More than a dozen counter-demonstrations have been announced, according to HR.
The right-wing demonstration is expected to start at 1 p.m. in the area of Industriehof and Neue Börse, and will pass through two known left-wing meeting points, according to the Pond bulletin.
Anti-fascist groups are expected to try to impede the right-wing demonstration, and if that doesn’t succeed, at least one left-wing group said it will protest in the city center, according to HR.
The Pond bulletin says groups on both sides of the demonstrations are known for violence, and HR reported that anti-fascist groups did stage a violent demonstration against NPD on May 1. However, organizers on the left have pledged not to resort to violence Saturday.
