Pergida has launched a massive rally against the influx of refugees under Angela Merkel's stewardship. Pergida suffered a setback a year ago when its leader was associated with the Nazis.

But with a million refugees pushing the borders Pergida has once again sprung to prominence.

There are parallels here with the growth of the Nazis Party. This Party has become a rallying point for thousands of Germans frustrated with Merkel's Policy of 'everyone who ants to come can come'. An article follows:

 
Search in:

World

German anti-Islam Pegida protest swells, as refugee shelters burn

Date October 20, 2015 
Read later
 
Michelle Martin
   

German police officers stand in a line in front of protesters against a demonstration marking the first anniversary of Pegida in Dresden on Monday.
German police officers stand in a line in front of protesters against a demonstration marking the first anniversary of Pegida in Dresden on Monday. Photo: AP

Dresden: As the German anti-Islam movement Pegida staged its biggest rally in months on Monday, twelve people were injured in a fire at a building in Gudensberg accommodating mostly migrant workers from Bulgaria and Poland.

AFP reported five of the injured were seriously hurt when the fire ripped through the half-timber building, in the central German town, while in Erfurt, a block of flats meant to house migrants was flooded in the latest act of sabotage against planned refugee shelters.

The incidents come after a spate of arson attacks on five planned refugee accommodation facilities in recent weeks in Thuringia, Germany.

Supporters of the Pegida movement, including a man waving a German flag, gather on Monday on the first anniversary of the first Pegida march.
Supporters of the Pegida movement, including a man waving a German flag, gather on Monday on the first anniversary of the first Pegida march. Photo: Getty Images

Meanwhile Pegida on Monday, was buoyed on its first anniversary by members angry at the government's decision to take in hundreds of thousands of migrants from the Middle East,

Advertisement

Pegida, or Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West, almost fizzled out this year when its leader resigned after a photo was published of him posing as Hitler.

But it has swelled again as Germany implements Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to accept a tide of refugees that could exceed 1 million, as she argues that Germany can not only cope but, with its ageing population, will benefit in the long term.

Satirical counter-demonstrators, including one dressed as Adolf Hitler and wearing a cake, pretend to celebrate the first anniversary of the first Pegida march.
Satirical counter-demonstrators, including one dressed as Adolf Hitler and wearing a cake, pretend to celebrate the first anniversary of the first Pegida march. Photo: Sean Gallup

Police declined to estimate the number of protesters but media put it at 15,000 to 20,000, somewhat below a peak of about 25,000 in January. About 14,000 counter-demonstrators urged people to welcome refugees rather than whip up opposition.

Pegida supporters waved the national flag and carried posters bearing slogans such as "Hell comes with fake refugees" and "Every people should have its country, not every people a piece of Germany".

Gathering outside Dresden's historic opera house, the Semperoper, Pegida supporters chanted "Deport! Deport!" and "Merkel must go!".

Protesters hold a banner during a Pegida demonstration. The banner reads in German: "Money for our children and not for your asylum seekers."
Protesters hold a banner during a Pegida demonstration. The banner reads in German: "Money for our children and not for your asylum seekers."  Photo: Jens Meyer

"We're just normal people who are scared of what's coming," said 37-year-old Patrick, a car mechanic. "As a German citizen who pays taxes, you feel like you're being taken for a ride."

Lutz Bachmann, the leader who resigned, told the rally: "Politicians attack and defame us and the lowest tricks are used to keep our mouths shut. We are threatened with death, there are attacks on our vehicles and houses and we are dragged through the mud, but we are still here ... And we will triumph!"

Counter-demonstration

The counter-demonstrators marched through the town chanting: "Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here!"

As many German municipalities struggle to house and support the wave of migrants, criticism of Ms Merkel's policy has grown, her ratings have slipped, and there have been arson attacks on refugee centres.

Simone Peter, leader of the Greens party and one of the counter-demonstrators, told Reuters: "We're for diversity and an open, colourful society, not hatred and violence ... the people who incite with right-wing slogans add fuel to the fire of the arsonists."

Pegida has more than 172,000 "Likes" on its Facebook page and wants Germany to stop taking asylum seekers immediately.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere​ said on Sunday that Pegida's organisers were "hard right-wing extremists" and everyone who attended their demonstrations "should know that they are running after rat catchers".

Thomas Jaeger, a political scientist at Cologne University, said Pegida and the right-wing Alternative for Germany party were being allowed by the government to define how the refugee crisis was perceived b

There are two ways of looking at this argument. One is that refugees are allowed to seek shelters wherever they like.

The other is that citizens of Countries may feel threatened or even overwhelmed at the thought, that their national identity, will be swallowed under a human tide of mainly muslims.

I think a Country has a right to defend its own national identity and not be swallowed up by a human tide thrust upon them.

All those refugees a huge number of them young fit men, why aren't they fighting ISIS instead of running out of their own Country?  Surely, if ISIS were fighting to take over Australia young fit Australian men would be fighting them for every metre. I don't see that happening over there.

You shame the memory of every Australian who has pulled on a uniform and defended this Country. Your comment is outrageous and way out of line. What the f....k would you know about fighting for your Country?

I am a returned serviceman and I take deep offence at your f....d comment  Sun Tzu!!!!!!!

The Middle East has been has been infighting for centuries. The greatest mistake the West ever mader was to get involed in Middle East Politics. They should have been left alone to sort their own problems.

But they didn't....and now we have this huge mess.

As far as fighting ISIS, the West must fight ISIS, because if they are left unfettered to grow strong...one day they will be coming up your street with blood on their mind.

ISIS not only hate the West they hate everyone that is not of the ISIS Brand.

The huge majority of Muslims are 'not ISIS' but if left unfettered they will resemble the Middle East brand of Nazism..and look what happened with that when the world turned their backs on the rise of Nazism

Sun Tzu wrote on Dec 26^th, 2015 at 2:53pm:

The Red Baron was in WW1. Nazis didn't come about until long after that.

You should apologize.

Read this Sun Tzu you ignoramus. The Red Baron was an Officer and a gentleman of the German Army Air Service. Your grasp on history is scary.

Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (2 May 1892 – 21 April 1918), also widely known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service (Luftstreitkräfte) during the First World War. He is considered the ace-of-aces of the war, being officially credited with 80 air combat victories.

Quote:

issuevoter wrote on Dec 26^th, 2015 at 5:54pm:

Unimportant? We fought a world war over Nazism. 61 MILLION people died on the Allied side, primarily due to the war against the Nazis.