The German Lynchmob: Islamophobe Movement Returns With a Vengeance

Germany’s decision to open its borders to thousands of refugees from Syria has reinvigorated the political party of Pegida, also known as “Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the Occident.” Some supporters insist that they are not Nazis, but oppose a system that fails to embrace a strong and unchanging culture; others call the refugees “invaders” and are ready to blockade streets, using force and trying succession to keep outsiders away from their communities. “Pegida currently appears to be profiting from the volatile atmosphere created by the refugee debate in Germany,” notes a report in Spiegel Online. “Political positions once the exclusive domain of populist demagogues … are now being adopted even by politicians within Merkel's mainstream conservative Christian Democrats, which in turn serves as an invitation for Pegida's supporters to become even more radical.” Government policies on Syrian refugees have given the movement a new target for anger that could spread through Europe. German intelligence is monitoring the extremist activities, and the article concludes with one spokesperson nervously suggesting the hatred must be stopped. – YaleGlobal