Petition against March 11 Neo Nazi marches in Lithuania

For the fifth time in the past five years a neo-Nazi parade (this year with a permit enabling a maximum of 2,000 participants) will march through the heart of Vilnius on March 11, Independence Day, one of the proudest and most significant days for the people of Lithuania. The neo-Nazi theme will be “Homeland.” Their display, if permitted by the government, will be taken by extremists throughout the region and Europe as a stamp of growing approval of neo-Nazi activities and a signal that the murder of about 95% of Lithuania’s Jewry during the Holocaust, largely by local collaborators, is taken lightly by today’s government.

Help us ban this blemish on a day reserved for the celebration of the internationally acclaimed bravery of the March 11th 1990 declaration of independence that was and continues to be a source of inspiration to all nations seeking freedom from oppression and foreign domination. Allow Lithuania a Day of Dignity. Help combat racism and anti-Semitism with your signature.

·         http://www.change.org/petitions/lithuanian-ambassador-to-the-united-states-ban-neo-nazis-from-desecrating-the-dignity-of-lithuanias-independence-day

 

Previous years 2008, the first time the march was allowed in the city centre

·         http://defendinghistory.com/bold-reporter-lukas-pileckas-releases-video-of-neo-nazi-downtown-march-on-lithuanias-independence-day/759

Details regarding 2011 march see:

·         http://defendinghistory.com/sebastian-pammer-reports-on-neo-nazi-parade-vilnius-11-march-2011/13404

·         http://defendinghistory.com/genocide-center-official-defends-neo-nazi-marchers/13963

·         http://defendinghistory.com/genocide-research-center-employee-again-lashes-out-at-lithuanian-jews/15577

·         http://defendinghistory.com/leading-news-portal-delfi-lt-publishes-article-by-ricardas-cekutis-the-genocide-center-specialist-who-was-one-of-the-leaster-of-the-neo-nazi-march-on-march-11th/18642

Details for 11 March, 2012

"On 11th of March 2012  both skinheads and the human rights defenders will march in Gediminas avenue", "Kovo 11-ąją Gedimino prospekte žygiuos ir skustagalviai, ir žmogaus teisių gynėjai",

January 4, 2012:

·          http://www.15min.lt/naujiena/miestas/vilnius/kovo-11-aja-gedimino-prospekte-zygiuos-ir-skustagalviai-ir-zmogaus-teisiu-gynejai-41-188370#ixzz1lQFnc6iG

"The defenders of equal opportunities steal the march", November 30, 2011:

·         http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/lygiu-galimybiu-gynejai-nusvilpe-kovo-11-osios-eityniu-laika.d?id=52353701

"The Sąjūdis movement blaims human rights defenders of organising a gay pride on 11th of March", 27th January, 2012

·         http://www.15min.lt/naujiena/miestas/vilnius/sajudieciai-zmogaus-teisiu-gynejus-kaltina-kovo-11-aja-rengiant-geju-eitynes-41-192263#axzz1lQFRiTd6

Human rights defenders have asked the municipality to denounce the permit granted to the Neo-Nazis to march, it has to date not been denounced. The Neo-Nazis plan to march from Cathedral square to the Lukiskiu square, where the Museum of Genocide Victims a.k.a. KGB museum is located.  Last year, a German Neo-Nazi gave a speech praising Hitler next to the memorial monument for victims of Soviet occupation.