Belgium: Diksmuide: nazi rally
01 September 1995
This years Diksmuide rally, which attracts neo-nazi organisations from across Europe and around the world, degenerated into a weekend of feuding which saw over two hundred arrests. Splits between the mainstream flemish nationalists and the far-right lay at the heart of the trouble.
The annual "Iron Pilgrimage" to Diksmuide has its origins in the commemoration of victims of the First World War. It has long since become associated with Flemish nationalism. The emergence of the neo-nazi "Vlaams Blok" as a major force within Flemish politics also saw the Diksmuide event become an increasingly important international gathering point for the Far-Right across Europe. This side of the Diksmuide gathering has become increasingly embarrassing, both to the mainstream Flemish nationalists and to the Belgian police.
The problems started on Saturday August 26 after Bert Eriksson, leader of the Vlaams Militanten Orde, was arrested for selling nazi material. This led to a group of fascists deciding to storm the police station in order to free Eriksson. The police called in the help of the Belgian Gendarmerie and the demonstration was broken up using water cannon. Some 220 people were arrested including 144 Germans, 45 French and 14 Dutch fascists.
The iron pilgrimage itself took place the next day, and saw more evidence of splits within the organisations present. As in past years there were two separate gatherings, one for the `moderate' Flemish nationalists and one for the fascist Vlaams Blok and their European friends, who this year were joined by members of the "iron Pilgrimage Forum", a radical Flemish nationalist faction who had been demanding more access to decision-making. The mainstream event was then continuously heckled by the far-right demonstration, with police keeping the two sides apart.
Stalls run by fascist organisations over for the weekend included ones run by Blood and Honour (UK), CP'86/Nationale Volks Partij (Netherlands) and JN (Germany). Delegations from the British National Party, the German FAP, NDP and the Viking Jugend were also seen. However the number of nazi organisations attending was apparently down on last year, as was the number attending overall. Te Iron Pilgrimage used to be able to count on up to 70,000 attenders. This year police estimated the total at no more than 10,000.
NN, 14.9.95.