This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30685842
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Germany anti-Islam protests: Rivals rally across country | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Supporters and opponents of a group campaigning against what it sees as the "Islamisation" of Europe are holding rival rallies across Germany. | |
There have been weekly protests by the Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the West (Pegida) since October. | There have been weekly protests by the Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the West (Pegida) since October. |
A record 17,500 people turned out at one rally in Dresden last month. | A record 17,500 people turned out at one rally in Dresden last month. |
But counter demonstrations have sprung up and the group has been condemned by senior German politicians. | But counter demonstrations have sprung up and the group has been condemned by senior German politicians. |
Thousands of people were expected to march in Berlin, Cologne, Dresden and Stuttgart. | |
In Cologne, the authorities plan to switch the lights off at the city's cathedral as a way of telling Pegida supporters they are supporting "extremists". | In Cologne, the authorities plan to switch the lights off at the city's cathedral as a way of telling Pegida supporters they are supporting "extremists". |
"We don't think of it as a protest, but we would like to make the many conservative Christians [who support Pegida] think about what they are doing," the dean of the cathedral, Norbert Feldhoff, told the BBC. | |
German Chancellor Angela Merkel attacked the movement in her new year speech, saying its leaders have "prejudice, coldness, even hatred in their hearts". | German Chancellor Angela Merkel attacked the movement in her new year speech, saying its leaders have "prejudice, coldness, even hatred in their hearts". |
A poll of just over 1,000 people carried out by Germany's Stern magazine found one in eight Germans would join an anti-Islam march if Pegida organised one near their home. | A poll of just over 1,000 people carried out by Germany's Stern magazine found one in eight Germans would join an anti-Islam march if Pegida organised one near their home. |
Germany receives more refugees and asylum seekers than any other EU country. Many of those have come from war-torn Syria. | Germany receives more refugees and asylum seekers than any other EU country. Many of those have come from war-torn Syria. |