Nazis, protesters face off in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS, April 19 (UPI) -- No one was injured in a confrontation between neo-Nazis and counter-protesters on the grounds of the St. Louis Gateway Arch this weekend, observers said.

The Saturday demonstration by about 70 black-uniformed members of the American Nazi Party featured chants of "White Power" and "Sieg Heil," while about 150 counter-protesters responded by yelling profanities, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

The newspaper said about 70 St. Louis police officers and U.S. Park Service rangers were present at the rallies, with the only arrest coming when police tackled an unidentified man who vaulted over a barricade in a bid to confront a small group of Nazi leaders before the start of the demonstration.

"Contrary to popular belief, we are not a hate group," one speaker who addressed the crowd reportedly said. "We are pure white. We stand up for our people."

The American Nazi Party held its annual convention in St. Louis.