The following report on Monday night’s PEGIDA demonstration in Dresden was published in the alternative media outlet Blasting News Germany. Many thanks to JLH for the translation:
A Year of PEGIDA: How It Really Was!
by Robin Classen, October 20, 2015
PEGIDA has celebrated its anniversary: More than 30,000 people demonstrated in Dresden yesterday for a free Germany.
There have been almost 50 demonstrations since PEGIDA took its first walk on the streets of Dresden. Impetus for it at the time came from — among other things — battles of Yazidis, Kurds and Chechens on German streets. Within a few weeks the “Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West” became one of the largest protest movements in the history of the Federal Republic.
Before the first anniversary of the movement, the political climate in the wake of “asylum chaos” was exacerbated: Gabriel called the demonstrators a “pack,” others called them “Mischpoke”[1], and even Merkel warned against participation.
What was it like, really?
Anyone who reads the press sees reports of outbursts of violence and hate speech. But what was it really like? The Blasting News Germany journalist Robin Classen was on the spot and confirmed that PEGIDA is not being unfair in its use of the catch-word “Lying Press. [Lügenpresse]”
A cross-section of society
The Theater Square was quite full already at 6:00 PM. Thousands of people — with a preponderance of Saxons — had gathered there, were lighting candles and waving their banners and home-made placards. Many had taken the trouble to fasten LEDs to the poles of their banners and posters, immersing the festively lighted square in a colorful sea of lights. There was a representative cross-section of society, from the youngest pupil to the older student to the elderly lady. Jogging pants fluttered in the breeze alongside exquisite ladies’ coats. No trace of aggression or tendency to violence.
Violence-prone anarchists actually on the other side
But it did appear at the entrance to theater Square where masked counter-protestors stood, barred passageways and screamed at anyone who dared to make use of his right to assembly. Are these tattooed, pierced screamers really the “Uprising of the Respectable”? The other counter-protestors were demonstrating screened off to avoid confrontations, and were not to be seen.
European speakers and democratic messages
The speeches from the “PEGIDANS” began: Lutz Bachmann was first, followed by speakers from Italy, Poland, Czechia, Holland and England, intended to paint a diverse picture of the European peoples and to undergird the claim of the movement to be supporting the inner agreement of the European peoples. A speech by Akif Pirinci, the Turkish writer known for his scatological language, which actually contained some hateful language, was drowned out by cries of “Stop!” from the public. On the other hand, another who spoke for the right to existence of all peoples — including the Israelis — was applauded. As a West German who has thus far known only the reporting from the media, it was enough to make me rub my eyes. Rightist extremism doesn’t look like this.
Near the end, a shocking report: A PEGIDA demonstrator was severely injured by leftist extremists, and the politically protected counter demonstrators had closed off all exits, The crowd waited patiently and peacefully, until the police had swept these criminals off the street with truncheons and water cannons.
There were 30,000
Departure was peaceful and largely without confrontation. According to the city’s office of public order, there were altogether 39,000 people on the square — it was full to bursting. And yet the media accepted uncritically the claims of the leftist alliance “Durchgezählt” that there were between 15,000 and 20,000 participants. Actually, there were at least 30,000. The long trip home took place in a thoughtful mood. One phrase swirled around in my mind: Lying Press.
| 1. | From the Hebrew by way of Yiddish, where it simply denotes family relationship. In standard German, however, it is derogatory. |
Photo caption: What a great backdrop for PEGIDA!
For links to previous articles about PEGIDA (Patriotische Europäer Gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes, Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West) and related movements, see the PEGIDA Archives.
Wouldn’t it be thrilling if, right now, the paradigm is shifting? The end of European and western psychosis: a new enlightenment!
I’d like to be more hopeful, but comparing the average age of PEGIDA vs the counter-protestors it seems clear to me that PEGIDA won’t likely be expanding operations. The German youth are as liberal as fish are wet, the PEGIDA folks hit the snooze button too many times while structural damage to their society was occurring.
There is a process. How much is the youthful suicidal tendency – as in “if not a commie by 20 you don’t get **** . (What fowl do with eggs). I imagine a lot of these useful youths will become cynical and hardened after a little exposure to Muslim family norms. Survivors may even decide to join fellow country men and women dedicated to fixing the problem – over the next five hundred or so years.
Let us hope that this does not end as Tienamen Square did.
it probably will…..
I agree the EU political elitists will not hesitate to use overpowering military force to restore ‘order’.
I don’t know why this is not brought up more frequently; it is the elephant in the room that we usually ignore with our analyses ( as good and valid as they are) of multiculturalism and Western self-blame.
Western Europe needs massive amounts of fuel oil (and gasoline) to survive. Period. It will do whatever it needs to do to obtain oil. It will make any kind of agreements it needs to make with Islam and Islamic countries in order to assure a supply of oil. Europe will sell out their own children to assure this continued and relatively cheap supply.
What’s needed is a good, reliable and cheap alternative source of energy. None of the “green energy” sources can even begin to supply this at the current time.
Western Europe can get oil and gas from Russia.
And from U.S. shale oil industry if the oil export ban is lifted. Actually, western Europe can start using fracking for oil anytime and obtain plentiful oil.
Being called “Fascist!” by fascists isn’t the worst thing in the world. In fact it’s nothing compared to being erased as a people and a culture. Steep learning curve ahead for most decent Germans. But they better learn fast. Think of your grandchildren, Germans!
Or, the fall of 1989? Oh my God “The Far Right” is suddenly 85% of the population.
I really think it is too late to do anything. It is the globalist agenda playing out. The UN and EU globalists have decided to get rid of nation states. That is the reason for the uncontrolled migrations. Canada has just decided to open its door to the same kind of mess — 28000 by Christmas, and I imagine many more after that. Family reunification (bringing in parents and grandparents) will double — while our Provincial social services are going bankrupt. I suspect there is a plan — but the plan may be to create chaos and violence before bringing about the globalists solution. We are doomed. Protests such as these will not amount to anything — I fear it is too late.
Agreed – it is too late for Europe but not quite so for North America.
America was finished once Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” programs were launched in the 1960’s. Since that time, parasites have been paid to breed and reproduce like rats, and they are overwhelming the system. America is dying of terminal cancer.
Don’t forget these guys.
It’s not too late for for any Western country if they get their [expletive] together. Look at the Muslim invasion of Spain and France (although those countries didn’t exist then). It took centuries, but they were finally driven out. We need to win and we will win even if it takes centuries.
Interesting that their term of abuse, “mischpoke”, comes from the Hebrew mishpochah, which means “family”.