Merkel’s deputy wishes he’d given neo-Nazis both fingers

BERLIN – Germany’s second-in-command has only one regret after flipping the bird at a group of neo-Nazis recently.

He wishes he’d shown them both middle fingers, not one.

Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel received both criticism and applause for his unambiguous gesture of disdain toward far-right protesters in the town of Salzgitter earlier this month.

A video posted online showed about 10 far-right protesters hurling abuse at Gabriel and praising his late father, an ardent believer in Nazism.

Gabriel told public broadcaster ZDF in an interview broadcast Sunday that “I made just one mistake, I didn’t use both hands.”

In recent months, far-right groups have repeatedly interrupted meetings between German politicians and voters to protest the government’s refugee policy.