Germany protests: Dresden marches against anti-Islamists Pegida

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: BBC

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.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30765674

[pampango]

1. The left has its work cut out for it in countering what is likely to be an upsurge in support for

far-right anti-immigrant groups throughout Europe. This is a good start but only a start.

"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."

[christx30]

2. It would help if the militants would stop killing people.

Whether they have valid complaints about policy or not, killing innocent people will make the citizens of that country turn against immigrants. People like to feel safe. And with the hostage situation, and the mayham in Paris, people don't feel safe.

[DVDGuy]

3. Weird statement

It is the fault of bigots for being bigots, you cannot blame the actions of terrorists for their behaviors, or use it to excuse their believes. That being said, none of the militants in the Paris attacks were actually immigrants, as all were French born citizens.

Terrorism's main aim has always been to divide, and Al-Qaeda's hopes in the Paris attacks (or even September 11) is to "make the citizens of that country turn against immigrants" (or rather, Muslims immigrants and natural born citizens, entire countries or even the entire religion itself). By bringing out the bigoted feelings of the mainstream populace, and even progressives (some of which is quite evident even here on this forum), the terrorists are hoping this will make it more socially acceptable to have bigoted feelings against an entire group of people and their religion, spark violence and retribution against local Muslim populations, which then in turn provokes local Muslims to act, thus bringing more supporters to their insane cause.

It's just a real freaking shame that too many, including governments, fell for their plan, and are acting in exactly the same way that Al-Qaeda had hoped we would act.

We let the terrorists win after September 11 by invading Iraq, let's not let them win again!

[pampango]

6. Well said, DVDGuy. And welcome to DU. n/t

[pampango]

7. I suspect there were a few Black criminals during the Civil Rights era whom racists and conservative

folks could point to and say, "Look at what Blacks are doing to OUR society. We had better crack down on ALL Blacks to prevent this mayhem from spreading." Our far-right says exactly the same thing about Hispanic immigration in the US today.

I would hope that is not a sentiment that most liberals shared back in the day or now.

Whether they have valid complaints about policy or not, killing innocent people will make the citizens of that country turn against immigrants.

You are right which is why the far-right will be empowered as it is the primary anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim force in most European countries. It does not distinguish between the fraction of 1% of immigrants who are criminals and the 99+% who are good people.

Any empowerment of the far-right is a bad thing; hence "The left has its work cut out for it in countering what is likely to be an upsurge in support for far-right anti-immigrant groups throughout Europe."

[Archae]

4. On a message board I first saw this "PEGIDA" group mentioned.

When I looked it up at Wikipedia, I saw that their head guy had an extensive criminal record for burglary, DUI, and cocaine possession.

It figures.
Another group of losers led by a loser.

[jwirr]

5. I thank the good people of Germany for this. The world cannot afford anymore hate.

[pampango]

8. "...Pegida protests have already featured elements of a pro-Russian agenda ..."

Russia is already relatively popular in eastern Germany, which has traditional economic ties with the former Soviet empire. It shouldn't be a suprise that the Pegida protests have already featured elements of a pro-Russian agenda into the Pegida protests. Last Monday's rally also featured pro-Russian slogans, including "Putin, Help Us!"

In a political climate of zero tolerance for Nazi flashbacks, Germany's hasn't seen the rise of a strong anti- immigration party. The anti-establishment, anti-European Union Alternative fuer Deutschland, which voiced some mild anti-immigrant sentiments -- considerably watered down compared with those of the French Front National or Britain's U.K. Independence Party -- failed to get into parliament last year. AfD is, however, represented in the local parliaments of some relatively poor eastern states, including Saxony, and it's now trying to get on the Pegida bandwagon. "Most of their demands are legitimate," AfD leader Bernd Lucke has been quoted as saying.

This is a sensible strategy for the AfD, but if it wants to better its odds, it should look beyond the borders of Saxony and consider working together more closely with Moscow. That's the model followed by France's successful Front National, which has loudly bucked Europe's ongoing policy of ostracizing the Russian president, and has received millions of euros from Russia in return. Putin's strategy seems to be to build up a "fifth column" of far-right parties in Europe willing to cooperate with the Kremlin.

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/12/far-right_germans_are_on_the_m.html