Thousands Of Germans Rally Against Anti-Islam Movement In Leipzig
Leipzig, 3 Rabi’ul Akhir 1437/13 january 2016 (MINA) – Thousands of people participated in a rally on Monday against the anti-Islam group LEGIDA in the East German city of Leipzig, forming a “chain of lights” that measured kilometers in length.
The protesters faced a rally organized by LEGIDA, a local chapter of the xenophobic group PEGIDA, the “Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the Occident”, International Islamic News Agency (IINA) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.
In the wake of the tensions caused by mass assaults and robberies that took place in Germany on New Year’s Eve, the anti-Islam group rallied in the eastern German city, venting its anger at Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Anti-Islam protesters held signs that read “Rapefugees not welcome Stay away!” and “Integrate barbarity?” while chanting, “We are the people”, “Resistance!”, and “Deport them!”
A broad coalition of trade unions, commerce, culture, and associations as well as some German parties called for the rally against the xenophobic local movement LEGIDA.
Meanwhile, a pro-tolerance group held signs that read “refugees welcome” and “kein mensch ist illegal!” (“No person is illegal”).
The Chinese Xinhua News Agency reported that “about 2900 people took part in the rally,” holding candles and forming a line that extended kilometers in length.
The police were on site to avoid any clash between the two opposing groups. Videos on social media showed numerous arrests being made.
One video posted by a protestor showed a video of a neo-nazi heavily vandalizing a Kebab shop.
“Police said some 250 far-right hooligans had thrown rocks and smashed shop windows in a traditionally left-wing student district of the city, before police dispersed them,” according to a local official. (T/P006/R07)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
