Capitol Rally Equal Parts Protesters, Foes, Police

Hundreds of neo-Nazis and white separatists marched on the Capitol on Saturday to protest U.S. support of Israel, chanting, “What do we want? Jews out! When do we want it? Now!” and trading hostile words with an equal number of counterdemonstrators.

A variety of white supremacist groups--including skinheads from Pennsylvania and separatists from West Virginia--carried giant Nazi flags and frequently pumped their arms in the air yelling, “Sieg Heil!” as they marched. They complained about non-European immigration to the United States, shredded an Israeli flag and chanted in support of Palestinian independence.

The counterdemonstrators included students who said they had come to preach peace; militants chanting, “Death, death, death to the Nazis!” and anarchists dressed in black. They were joined by a variety of others, including Palestinians who said they had come to reject the white separatists’ support for Palestinian independence.

As many as 1,000 people demonstrated on each side, said Chief Terrance W. Gainer of the U.S. Capitol Police.

Police said their aim was to prevent the two groups from getting close enough to harm each other. They were separated by about 1,000 police officers, metal barriers and plastic fencing. Some officers marched in riot gear with batons drawn, while others were on horseback or riding motorcycles.

Authorities said one man was arrested after he pried loose a large cobblestone from the sidewalk at Union Station and hurled it toward the white supremacists. The rock missed the demonstrators. Felipe Benjamin Findley, 23, of Chicago was charged with disorderly conduct/missile throwing and was released after paying a $50 fine, the U.S. Park Police said.