Rally held against anti-Islam demonstration

Over 35,000 people holding “We are Charlie” placards have marched through the eastern German city of Dresden in a counter rally against recent anti-Islam demonstrations, almost double the number that participated in the last week’s protest.

“Thirty-five thousand people 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,” said Stanislaw Tillich, State Premier of Saxony. “Almost double the number of participants in the demonstrations against ‘Islamisation of Germany’ joined the rival rally on Saturday,” he said. The rally was organised jointly by the state government of Saxony and the city of Dresden to take a strong stand against right-wing group Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the West demonstrations, which have been drawing many followers.