Germans protest neo-Nazi march; minister warns of extremist Web sites

DORTMUND, Germany - Hundreds of demonstrators rallied against a neo-Nazi march Saturday in this western industrial city. A strong police presence kept the sides apart.

At one point, about 250 leftist demonstrators tried unsuccessfully to break through the police line separating the groups. About 2,000 police officers had been deployed to prevent violence between the 300 neo-Nazis and about 1,500 people demonstrating against them.

As the protest ended, two neo-Nazis were attacked at a train station by 30 counter-demonstrators. There was no immediate word on whether they were injured.

A court had allowed the neo-Nazis to march, despite the city's objection, but with restrictions including bans on beating drums, marching in organized rows and the skinheads' trademark jackboots and bomber jackets. A common right-wing slogan, ''The national resistance is marching here,'' was also declared off-limits by the Muenster court.

A neo-Nazi demonstration of 600 skinheads in Dortmund in October had drawn 20,000 counter-demonstrators.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Otto Schily on Saturday expressed his worry over the growing danger of extreme-right Web sites.

Speaking at a regional Social Democratic party conference in Karlsruhe, Schily said there are about 800 such sites and more than 90 percent of them based on servers in the United States and Canada - meaning Germany must seek cooperation on the problem with those countries.

Another in the wave of racist attacks was reported Saturday in Minden, located like Dortmund in North Rhine-Westphalia state.

Police said two drunk youths, aged 15 and 16, attacked two African asylum-seekers Friday evening, hitting one in the face. The man hit him back. The 15-year-old also shouted ''Sieg Heil!'' and gave the Hitler salute, and both made racial insults.

The attackers threw beer bottles at the 18- and 32-year-old victims as they left the scene. Arrests were made quickly because many onlookers witnessed the attack.

The two suspects spent the night in custody but were released Saturday as the investigation continues.