Germany protests: Dresden marches against anti-Islamists Pegida

About 35,000 people have marched through the German city of Dresden in protest against recent so-called anti-Islamisation rallies, organisers say.

The turnout is nearly double that of the largest demonstration by anti-Islamists Pegida, held last Monday.

Saturday’s counter-demonstration observed a minute’s silence for the 17 victims of this week’s terrorist attacks in France.

The next Pegida protest in Dresden will be held on Monday.

Some analysts say that numbers may grow as a result of the violence in France.

Demonstrators at the counter-rally on Saturday – which was jointly organised by the government of the state of Saxony and the city of Dresden – were joined by Saxony State Premier Stanislaw Tillich.

“Thirty-five thousand people [have] attended this event, and they made clear that they love this city and that they’re proud of this city, and that this is a tolerant and cosmopolitan city,” he said.

Likewise Dresden Mayor Helma Orosz urged supporters of Pegida (Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the West) to change their minds and join the campaign against racism.

“I believe that this is a clear sign that our society is standing together, and furthermore that we’re not forgetting those who are afraid, those who might march with Pegida on Monday,” she said.

“We’re not abandoning them, we’re inviting them to come to us.”

Pegida has been condemned by many mainstream politicians and large counter-demonstrations have also been held in Berlin, Cologne and Stuttgart.

It was founded in Dresden by activist Lutz Bachmann in October 2014 and it stands for Patriotische Europaer Gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes (Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West).

But it is also serving as an umbrella group for German right-wing, attracting support from mainstream conservatives to neo-Nazi factions and football hooligans.

It holds street protests against what it sees as a dangerous rise in the influence of Islam over European countries, and claims not to be racist or xenophobic.

It has published a 19-point manifesto that says the movement opposes extremism and calls for protection of Germany’s Judeo-Christian culture.