The anti-radical Islam group Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West (PEGIDA) stages a protest every Monday in its native Dresden, Germany. On January 12, however, the group convened its largest rally yet, with 25,000 participants–significantly more due to last week’s terrorist attack in Paris, France. Attendees at the rally posted pictures and videos on social media.
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After two radical Islamists killed twelve people at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, PEGIDA took to social media with a statement that Germany should stop accepting Muslims.
“The brutal attacks in Paris show that we are in urgent need of a fresh and free European-wide general debate about freedom of speech and Islamism,” said Islamic studies Professor Hans-Thomas Tillschneider, who participated in PEGIDA marches.
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A sign at anti-#Pegida demonstration outside Dresden synagogue pic.twitter.com/AZEt9KWS1F
— Harriet Torry (@HarrietTorry) January 12, 2015
A Russian flag appeared at the rally.
Plenty of Russian flags in among the German ones at Pegida march in Dresden. pic.twitter.com/Q12eEyiGuP
— Gabriel Gatehouse (@ggatehouse) January 12, 2015
Also unique to those convened Monday was the fact that solidarity marches began to appear in other cities outside of Germany. This PEGIDA march occurred in Oslo.
One Twitter account posted an image that shows how PEGIDA rallies grew since the group was formed in October. The account wondered if the information is true, but reports prove the rallies are growing each week.
Anti-Islam #Pegida demo in #Dresden today with 40.000 Protesters? Wow, if that is correct…? @cnni pic.twitter.com/mrr4Ykq0JG
— Child ن Lobby (@TLoschmann) January 12, 2015
The group formed in response to a growing Muslim presence in Germany, in large part due to an influx of refugees from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Some Germans believe an increasingly visible Muslim presence in the nation is a threat to German and Western notions of freedom, particularly if Muslim immigrants attempt to impose Sharia law. Muslims experienced attacks in 2014 after Germany received 180,000 asylum applications from Syria, which is 57 percent more than 2013.
German authorities demanded the group cancel this rally out of respect for the victims in Paris. Merkel described the group as “heartless.”
Merkel on #Pegida: "Their hearts are cold and full of prejudice, and even hate" http://t.co/I6KhHVDrtT pic.twitter.com/IgfAcCz1Kv
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) January 10, 2015
Those against PEGIDA participated in counter rallies, but in much smaller numbers.
More than 20000 people opposed the Islamophobic Pegida in Munich tonight!!#noPEGIDA#Refugeeswelcome pic.twitter.com/4nLPW9gFBk
— AIWS (@AIWS6) January 12, 2015
At 'anti-Islam' Pegida march in Dresden tonight counter demo brought these to 'clean the streets' after march passed pic.twitter.com/VJRKRLM3Vp
— Catrin Nye (@CatrinNye) January 12, 2015
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