Several hundred people gathered Saturday in the west German city of Duesseldorf for a protest against far-right extremism, according to local police.
Organizers of the demonstration, who include a range of political parties, churches, trades unions and other organizations, expect the turn-out to reach 25,000.
Social Democrat Wolfgang Clement, the head of the regional government in North Rhine-Westphalia, and Paul Spiegel, the president of the Central Council of Jews are both due to address the rally.
Far-left groups have said they will prevent a demonstration by the extreme right, due to take place along the river Rhine, which flows through Duesseldorf.
Thousands of police officers have been called out to prevent clashes between the two sides.
At Cassel, in central Germany, where a few hundred neo-Nazis are due to demonstrate Saturday, several thousand people are expected at a counter-demonstration called by trades unions, political parties and other groups -- DUESSELDORF (AFP)
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