05:45 PM PDT on Sunday, April 2, 2006

By PAT MCREYNOLDS / KING 5 News

OLYMPIA – Neo-Nazis on Sunday waved swastika flags at the state Capitol in Olympia. Among other things, they were celebrating Adolf Hitler's birthday. But Olympia activists showed up in large numbers to combat the Nazi message.

The seven local members of the National Socialist Movement planned to gather in Heritage Park to protest the fact that Israeli soldiers were never held accountable for killing Palestinian activist Rachel Corrie, who was from Olympia.

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In the past few months the neo-Nazi group has rallied in Seattle, Des Moines and Everett.

Nearly 200 peace activists planned drown them out, staging a rally of their own.

But at the last minute, the seven uniformed neo-Nazis diverted to the capitol building.

When asked why they were there, they shouted obscenities.

When the crowd grew too large, state troopers in riot gear swooped in and escorted the seven National Socialists to an awaiting van, where they were quickly driven out of danger.

There were no arrests and no one was injured.

The National Socialists plan to be back on the steps July 3, hoping to increase their members into the double digits. But the demonstrators say they'll be back too.