Pegida and right-wing groups plan march in Graz

Germany’s anti-Islam Pegida movement and right-wing groups are planning to hold “mass demonstrations against Islamization” in several European cities on February 6th, including the Austrian city of Graz organizers say.

Published: 25 January 2016 14:00 CET

Pegida and right-wing groups plan march in Graz

There were violent clashes at a Pegida demonstration last year in Graz. File photo: ORF

Other demonstrations are planned in Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Estonia and Finland, with organisers saying that they expect “tens of thousands of participants” to come out in force.

Marek Cernoch, from the Czech right-wing Dawn party, said at a meeting of demo organizers near Prague over the weekend that Graz would be one of the locations. He added that he expected people to come out in force to protest against German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other European leaders’ “failed policies” on refugees.

Martin Konvicka, whose group ‘Block Against Islam’ represents the views of Pegida in the Czech Republic, added that the EU has been unable to solve the problem of immigration and has made it impossible for member states to make their own policies on migrants.

Police in Graz said they have not yet received notice from Pegida that it plans to hold a demonstration.

Last year several people were injured after clashes at a Pegida demonstration in Graz, and several people were filmed making Nazi salutes at a march in Vienna.