A record 25,000 anti-Islamist protesters marched through the east German city of Dresden on Monday, many holding banners with anti-immigrant slogans, and held a minute's silence for the victims of last week's attacks in France.
Chancellor Angela Merkel and other senior German politicians have called for people to stay away from rallies organised by PEGIDA, or Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West - people who Merkel has said have "hatred in their hearts".
Their banners read "Stop multiculturalism", "I'm not a Nazi but everyone who enjoys our hospitality must integrate and respect our culture" and "Stop asylum fraud - every one is too many, go home!" One carried a Christian cross illuminated with fairylights.
Eugen Peuke, 61, was at his second protest.
"It (multiculturalism) doesn't work. Immigration is a problem. They steal. I just don't want them here. The government isn't listening," he said. [Reuters] Read more
