Berlin, August 21 (RHC)-- Pro-Nazi extremists and their anti-fascist opponents have held rival rallies in Berlin on the death anniversary of Adolf Hitler’s deputy Rudolf Hess.  According to the German police force on Saturday, some 500 people showed up on each side of the protests, which were held under the heavy presence of riot police.

Hess was convicted in the Nuremberg war crimes trials and spent his life sentence as the only inmate of the Spandau Prison until his death in 1987.  The neo-Nazi march began at the prison with participants holding banners reading "I regret nothing," which were Hess’ last words before being sentenced.

Residents in the region played loud music from their balconies to drown out the fascist protesters' chants.
 
"It's appalling that in the year 2017, Nazis can openly go on the streets for this deputy of Hitler," said one of the counter-protesters.  "This is impossible.  The whole of German society must stand up against this," he added.
 
The protests were held just one week after one women was killed in the town of Charlottesville, Virginia, as similar rallies and counter-rallies turned violent.
 
On August 12, thousands of white supremacists, KKK members and neo-Nazis descended on Charlottesville for a “Unite the Right” rally.  The march however turned violent when a man plowed a vehicle into a group of anti-hate demonstrators protesting against the white supremacist rally, killing at least three people and injuring 20 others.