Far-right Pegida group plans UK rally in Newcastle

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/05/far-right-pegida-plans-uk-rally-newcastle

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A far-right group that protests against the perceived “Islamisation of the west” has announced plans to march in Newcastle in its first UK rally.

The German movement Pegida said it would hold an event in the city on 28 February in what local people fear is an attempt to whip up tension after the Paris attacks last month.

The group, known by its acronym, which translates as “patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the west”, convulsed Germany in January when it drew 25,000 protesters to a rally in Dresden at the same time as 100,000 people took to the streets to mourn the victims of the French terror attacks.

In a Facebook post, the group said: “Pegida UK is holding its first rally in Newcastle. All are welcome to attend. Let’s show the Islamists we show no fear.”

As of Thursday evening, 320 people had clicked to confirm they would attend the rally the Newcastle rally. Events in Birmingham and London have been suggested for a later date.

Newcastle Central’s Labour MP, Chi Onwurah, said Pegida would not find the same level of support in the city as in Germany.

“Pegida, like EDL [the English Defence League] and all those who try to peddle a message of hatred, will find they have no place in Newcastle,” she said.

“I was born and grew up in Newcastle. It’s a city of strong communities and we value our diversity and our shared values and those include respect for people and working together.

“This morning’s report on the rise in antisemitism shows that there are people who are trying to exploit tensions between communities – there’s an increase in antisemitism, an increase in Islamophobia – and Newcastle stands against that.”

Onwurah said she had not seen a rise in tension in Newcastle since the Paris attacks although there had been an increase in Islamophobic and antisemitic comments on social media.

Related: Pegida: Germany’s useful idiots

“Most people in Newcastle understand that those who committed the Paris attacks are vile murderers and they are no more representative of Islam than the Ku Klux Klan of Christianity,” she said. “We’ve seen from the marches that EDL have organised, and the National Front and BNP before them, that they will attract some people. But there are far more people who stand against this kind of hatred.

“They’re not going to find the same kind of support in Newcastle that they’ve been finding in Germany, in part because our communities talk and engage together all the time.”

Opponents say they will hold a counter-demonstration if the Newcastle march goes ahead. Unite Against Fascism’s joint secretary Weyman Bennett said: “They have tried to do this all over Europe. I think we should oppose it.”

Northumbria police said it had not been contacted by Pegida. A spokeswoman said: “We have not received formal notification from this group about a proposed march.”

Pegida’s progress in Germany has been hit by the resignation of five leaders amid fears the cause was being hijacked by extremists.