„We are the people“ – Anti-Legida march

 

Thousands of Germans rallied against Legida followers in Leipzig and Dresden this January.

The Pegida (Patriots of Europe against the Islamization of the Occident) movement has held weekly protests since October last year. Legida follows the example set by Pegida in Dresden.

According to a survey of the University of Dresden, Pegida movement criticises media and spreads prejudice against immigrants and asylum seekers, especially Muslims. Similar protests spread over other German cities, although in Munich or Stuttgart they fizzled out quickly as the supporters of anti-islamic and racist slogans found little attention.

German mainstream politicians and the majority of the public opinion have criticised Pegida. Thousands of Germans have joined counter-demonstrations to protest against discrimination, hatred and prejudice as well as to show support for tolerance, cooperation and multiculturalism.

Photostory by Maximilian Teucher. Text by Iris Bauer.

 

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Interviews

http://www.ardmediathek.de/tv/Panorama/Pegida-Die-Interviews-in-voller-Länge-/Das-Erste/Video?documentId=25442126

Read more:

http://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2015-01/legida-demonstration-leipzig

http://www.lvz-online.de/nachrichten/aktuell_themen/legida-und-proteste/live-ticker-tausende-zu-legida-aufmarsch-und-gegendemonstrationen-in-leipzig-erwartet/r-legida-und-proteste-a-270042.html

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/12/leipzig-lifts-ban-cartoons-prophet-muhammad-far-right-rally