The annual concert is held in the small town of Themar, which has just 2913 inhabitants. By early evening on Saturday, more than 5,500 neo-Nazis had arrived for the concert, the German broadcaster WDR reported.
Around 5,000 people were expected to attend the event, the biggest-ever audience for the concert. It is called "Rock gegen Ueberfremdung" (Rock against too many foreigners).
Amid security fears, about 1,000 extra police officers had traveled to Themar and were searching revelers before they entered the field. The far-right revelers wore T-shirts emblazoned with slogans such as "Sturm auf Themar" (Storm of Themar) and "Frei wie ein Vogel," (Free as a Bird) the title of a famous song by the right-wing extremist group Kategorie C.
"Sturm auf Themar" T-Shirt das heute Nazis in #Themar getragen haben! Zur Zeit dürften es an die 6000 sein. #thr1507 #thueringen #nonazis pic.twitter.com/hbipFalshQ
— Madeleine Henfling (@henfling_m) July 15, 2017
'Storm on Themar" T-shirts thhat Nazis are weaking in #Themar! today. There are currently estimated to be 6000. # Thr1507 #thueringen #nonazis'
Local mayor Hubert Boese told Der Spiegel on Friday that he regrets that the authorities were not able to forbid the event, which is taking place on private land.
"The event is (legally) covered by the right of assembly. The state of law makes it very easy for these people to hold this kind of concert under the cover of the freedom of assembly," Boese explained, adding that the city was preparing some anti-fascist events in protest.
"The people of our town are a bit frightened. Many residents are now thinking of the images of riots at the G20 summit. The violence in Hamburg was worrying, I hope it does not come to clashes," Boese said.
