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Serbia Police Ban Neo-Nazi Rally

27 09 2007  Belgrade _ A neo-Nazi march planned for next month in Serbia’s northern city of Novi Sad has been banned after extensive protests.

The rally in the capital of Vojvodina province was prohibited on the basis of legal provisions that allow action against organizations that spread racial, religious or national hatred, a police statement said on Thursday.

The rally, planned by the neo-Nazi organization, Nacionalni Stroj (National Order) has been scheduled for October 7 under the slogan, "Serbian March - a March for Serbian Unity", and advertised on several ultra-nationalist and right-wing websites.

Serbian human rights watchdogs, political parties and the Jewish community have condemned the rally, and the Vojvodina League of Social Democrats party demanded tough police action against neo-Nazis.
Party leader Nenad Canak urged all “democratic parties and all anti-fascist to rally in Novi Sad against revamped Neo-Nazism”.

"Nazis and their servants cost Serbia and Vojvodina thousands of innocent victims [in World War II], and they have remained the most shameful stain on the face of Europe. Those who want to march through Novi Sad are those who want to continue that dreadful tradition of killing people because of their nationality”, Canak said by phone.

Last week in an open letter to Serbia's top officials, the Union of Jewish Communities called on them to "join with others in condemnation of this proposed march and to take whatever action is necessary to ensure that Nacionalni Stroj does not continue its repugnant incitement."

The neo-Nazi march was originally announced earlier this month on a blog maintained by Nacionalni Stroj's leader Goran Davidovic.

In 2006 Davidovic was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment for storming an anti-fascist panel discussion at the university of Novi Sad during the previous year.