More Than 15,000 People Attend Anti-Islam March in Germany
In the east German city of Dresden, thousands came out to protest against what they perceive as "Islamization of the West"
The city of Dresden is where the movement called "Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West" (Pegida) was born, according to BBC News. The movement also organized a similar rally last week.
Thousands of Germans marched through the streets, carrying flags, candles and banners saying "No sharia law in Europe" Even though the name of the march would suggest that the march would be only against "Islamization of the West", most participants seemed to be protesting against a high influx of immigrants and asylum seekers. The protesters also chanted "Wir sind das Volk"(we are the people) as they marched.
In recent years Germany has experienced increasing numbers of immigrants fleeing into the country, mostly people affected by the wars in Iraq and Syria. Currently, Germany admits more asylum seekers into country than the other EU member states, BBC News reported.
While the protests were peaceful and uneventful, the general public in Germany is far from being at ease. Many people in Germany are reportedly feeling ashamed and terrified to see the support these right-wing groups receive from some segments of the public.
For decades, Germans have been trying to battle far-right extremism and racism that might be considered as "leftovers" from the Nazi reign. According to the BBC News, the Pegida movement that organized the demonstrations harbors hundreds of members of two hooligan groups widely considered as far-right. The German SPD political party also called the organizers "Nazis in pinstripes."
German chancellor Angela Merkel, in a statement about the protests asked the citizens not to let themselves be exploited by the extremists: "Everyone[the attendants] needs to be careful that they are not taken advantage of by the people who organize such events," she said. Merkel also added: "There is freedom of assembly in Germany, but there is no place for incitement and lies about people who come to us from other countries."
