Pegida began as a movement in Germany founded by Lutz Bachmann supposedly to confront what he saw as the growing Islamification of Europe.
His rallies in the former Eastern German city of Dresden have attracted up to 25,000 people. Such right wing movements in Germany automatically become associated with the Nazi era, so any protest movement in Germany, has to be careful not to draw comparisons to what happened in Germany during the 1930s and 1940s. Subsequently other Pegida rallies were held in other German towns and cities, but the rallies and demonstrations were met with anti - Pegida protests whose war cry was: no matter what your ethncity or religion, Germany is a country united and Angela Merkle backed this statement.
Lutz Bachmann has done Pegida no favours by photos of him coming to light dressed as Hitler complete with side parting hair style and trade mark moustache, after this faux paux, Lutzmann had to step down as did other leaders. Apparently Pegida is a movement which says it is not against Muslims per se, simply against extremists and their ideology which is the line the EDL take.
Pegida UK, the British offshoot of Pegida Germany, are holding a rally on 28 February in the North East English City of Newcastle - Upon - Tyne. It is expected to attract somewhere in the region of 3,000 - 5,000 people in support of the days events. Police will no doubt be out in force and also the UAF (Unite Against Fascism), and no doubt contains genuine people who are worried about the rise of fascism again and extremists who simply wish to cause trouble.
The emegence of Pegida UK will certainly give the EDL and Britain First something to think about, as they too, share the same ideology. All three organisations will not unite as one I dont think, but will remain independent groups but will support each other as they share the same beliefs, but then again I could be wrong, even groups sharing the same ideology fall out and clash.
I believe within the ranks of Pegida and other related groups like the EDL and Britain First there are real people from varied backgrounds who are genuinely worried about the rise of Islam in Europe even in its so called moderate form and to a point, yes I think they are right. Muslims and their culture, whether they be extremist or moderate, immigrants or descendents of immigrants or even European converts are altering Europe whther they mean to or not, by the growth in their population and by their culture and places of worship putting down roots here is changing the European environment forever.
Managing the situation between the growing Muslim presence and the native population is probably going to be a nightmare for any European government for the foreseeable future and beyond I believe in the current circumstances.
