January 14, 2015

German Muslims hold vigil for Paris victims

editor:	Neelo Aysha Scholz

Angela Merkel stood side by side with German Muslim leaders in a rally Tuesday evening to promote tolerance, condemn the attacks in Paris and send a firm message to Germany’s growing anti-Islamic movement. Organized by the Muslim Council and the Turkish Community of Berlin, the vigil was held at the Brandenburger Gate under the banner “Let’s be there for each other. Terror: not in our name!”

The organizers said, “We, the Muslims of Germany condemn the despicable terror attacks in France in the strongest terms. We want to express our solidarity with the French victims. There’s no justification in Islam for such acts.”

Merkel has stood firm in her stance on the nature of German society as one based on democracy, tolerance and openness to the world, thanking the four million strong Muslim community for quickly and clearly condemning the violence committed in the name of their faith in Paris. “Hatred, racism and extremism have no place in this country”, she said.

Merkel’s strong message is aimed at the growing anti-Islamisation movement, Pegida which has peaked since the Paris attacks, with a record 25,000 protestors attending its 12th weekly rally in Dresden, Monday. 100,000 Germans came out in response, reiterating their desire for a multicultural and tolerant Germany.

Yesterday’s rally follows a firebombing of a tabloid newspaper in Hamburg which had reprinted Muhammad’s cartoons from the Charlie Hebdo newspaper.

The gathering saw most of Merkel's cabinet in attendance as well as Christian and Jewish leaders who spoke alongside their Muslim counterparts.