Pegida uses terrorist attacks to grow their anti-Islam movement

It is believed that more than 25,000 people  have taken part in the meeting in Dresden and other cities on Monday evening, the biggest so far organized by Pegida (in English, Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West). The week before a similar demonstration had attracted 18,000.

Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel and other senior politicians in Germany had asked not to attend the demonstration because it was organized by “people with hatred in their hearts”.

The rallies demanded the “anti-islamization of Germany Europe” with signs like “Angela, listen to the people” or “No to islamization”.

MANY DISAGREE WITH PEGIDA

Counter-rally in favour of cultural diversity in München. / Focus

Counter-rallies against racism were happening at the same time, the one in Dresden bringing together 7,000 people. In München, around  20,000 rallied against Pegida with messages like “Freedom and tolerance instead of hatred and terror”.

French cartoonists (including one Charlie Hebdo member) had shown their disapproval with the Dresden demonstration: “We refuse to let Pegida profit from the memory of our colleagues. (...) And we're disgusted that far-right forces are trying to instrumentalize their deaths for their own purposes.”

MORE TRIBUTES

Angela Merke will attended a demonstration set up by Muslim organizations in Germany  this Tuesday  . “Islam is part of the German society”, said the Chancellor, remembering the most well-known words of former president Christian Wulff.

Also yesterday MEPs attending the European Parliament session paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the recent terror attacks in France. There was  one minute of silent, as parliamentarians remembers those who died.

The European Parliament payed tribute to the victims in France. / EU Parliament