PEGIDA
PEGIDA (Patriotische Europaer Gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes, Patriotic Europeans against Islamisation of the West) is a German patriotic organization tied to the Conservative and New Right sphere of German Politics. It focuses particularly on fighting the spread of Islam within Germany and German-speaking countries, with emphasis on its effects on public life. PEGIDA states its aims as refusing "...to allow the spread of activities by groups such as ISIS and al-Qaeda in Europe..." and to ensure that all "German children can grow up in a cosmopolitan and friendly nation."
It is a heterogeneous group, composed however mostly of Conservatives disillusioned with the CDU.
The group has a short history. On October 10, 2014 Lutz Bachmann posted a video on YouTube, showing a rally in Dresden in support of Kurdish fighters against ISIS. Soon afterwards he set up a Facebook group opposing the "Islamisation of the West." This quickly began to attract comments opposing the "advancing Islamisation of our country," as well as against ISIS, the Kurdish PKK, al-Qaeda and other groups tied to the Middle East. In only three months PEGIDA marches grew from 300 to over 25,000 people.
By October 20, 2014, Bachmann had gathered enough support for his first march in Dresden. One of the first actions undertaken by the group was in opposition to the opening of 14 refugees centers in Dresden.
In November 2014 an event was held at a town near Dresden where the bestselling author and former politician, Thilo Sarrazin, was programmed to appear. Sarrazin's 2010 book, Deutschland schafft sich ab ("Germany is Doing Away With Itself") sold over 1.5 million copies. In the book, Sarrazin advocates a strict immigration policy for Germany, better integration and attacks the many unreasonable demands on Europe by the Muslim community. The event was well attended, including by many of those who supported Bachmann's Facebook group, but was also met with demonstrations.