DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING; BANNER; DEMONSTRATORS RUNNING, SHOUTING AND CHANTING; DEMONSTRATORS ALONG SHOPPING STREET; POLICE GUARDING BUILDING; DEMONSTRATORS OUTSIDE STORE WITH CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS; MOUNTED POLICE; CROWD AT MASS MEETING; RELEASE OF SMOKE BOMBS OUTSIDE TOWN HALL; MEETING. (NATSOF)




Initials



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ABOUT 8,000 DEMONSTRATORS MARCHED THROUGH THE STREETS OF WEST BERLIN YESTERDAY (SATURDAY) TO PROTEST AGAINST THE RECENT ACQUITTAL, IN A WAR CRIMES TRIAL, OF HANS-JOACHIM REHSE, A FORMER IN A NAZI PEOPLE'S COURT.

THE DEMONSTRATORS CARRIED ANTI-NAZI PLACARDS AS THEY MARCHED SHOULDER-TO-SHOULDER THROUGH HE BITTER COLD TO SCHONEBERG TOWN HALL. SMOKE BOMBS WERE THROWN DURING SPEECHES DELIVERED TO A MEETING OUTSIDE THE TOWN HALL.

THE MARCH WAS ORGANISED BY THE LEFT-WING EXTRA-PARLIAMENTARY OPPOSITION AND SUPPORTED BY STUDENT GROUPS AND JEWISH ORGANISATIONS.

POLICE BLOCKED OFF MOST SIDE STREETS LEADING OFF THE MARCHER'S ROUTE, AND LINED UP WATER-CANNONS, BUT THERE WAS NO VIOLENCE.

HERR HANS-JOACHIM REHSE WAS ACCUSED OF HAVING PARTICIPATED IN MORE THAN 230 DEATH SENTENCES, AND WAS CHARGED ON THREE COUNTS OF MURDER AND FOUR OF ATTEMPTED MURDER, ALL ARISING FROM THESE SENTENCES. THE JUDGEMENT OF ACQUITTAL, PASSED ON 6. DECEMBER BY DR. ERNST-JUERGEN OSKE, GAVE RISE TO A STORM OF PROTEST. THE WEST BERLIN PROSECUTOR HAS APPEALED AGAINST IT, AND DR. ERNST-JUERGEN OSKE, AFTER TWO APPEARANCES ON TELEVISION DURING WHICH HE DEFENDED HIS DECISION, HAS HAD A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN.