Neo Nazi group National Action to hold 'White Man March' in Newcastle

A group of Neo-Nazis are planning to stage a march through Newcastle just a few weeks after the "anti-Islamisation" group Pegida held a rally in the city.

Members of white supremacist groups, including those from National Action and the British Movement, are planning to take part in the White Man March through Newcastle on 21 March.

As well as British far-right groups such as the National Front (NF), Neo Nazis from across Europe have been discussing joining in the rally against what they describe as the "systematic destruction of the white race", according to Vice.

The rally is planning to take place three weeks after Pegida held its first demonstration in the UK. Pediga UK are a British branch of the German group, whose name translates as Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the West, which was formed in Dresden last year.

While a Pediga rally held in Germany last year attracted more than 25,000 supporters, the one held in Newcastle saw just under 400 and was heavily outnumbered by counter-protests taking place at the same time.

The Anti Fascist Network are already confirmed to be organising a protests against the white supremacist rally.

A post on the North East Anti Facists Facebook event said: "National Action see themselves as next generation Nationalists with a focus on recruiting young people to their Hitler worshipping cult. Unfortunately, in difficult times, there are people buying into their sick political outlook.

"As working class activists in the region our priority at the present time is community organising - against benefits sanctions and Islamophobia in particular. Needless to say we need to mobilise against these idiots and keep up the struggle against fascists, racists and anyone else trying to sew division."

Northumbria Police have confirmed to the IB Times UK they have yet to be formally notified about the planned march by the extreme far-right group.

Still considered a relatively small group compared to other far-right organisations, National Action have recently gained exposure after demonstrating at Nelson Mandela's statue in London and defacing it with a banana and draping a banner with the slogan "Anti-Racist is a Codeword for Anti-White" over a bridge in Birmingham during last year's very low key White Man March.

Last October, one of its members, Garron Helm, was sentenced to four weeks in prison after found guilty of sending anti-Semitic tweets to Labour MP Luciana Berger.