Photos: After Charlie Hebdo, anti-Islam protest in Germany attracts 40,000

[caption id=“attachment_2045169” align=“alignleft” width=“940”]  A weekly anti-Islam rally in the eastern German city of Dresden drew its biggest crowd yet on Monday, after organizers declared it a tribute to the victims of the terror attacks in Paris. Organizers said 40,000 people participated, while Dresden police put the figure at over 25,000 people: Reuters[/caption]   [caption id=“attachment_2045177” align=“alignleft” width=“940”]  The group, which calls itself Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West, or PEGIDA, had asked supporters to wear black ribbons as a show of respect for the 17 people killed in the French capital last week: Reuters[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_2045173” align=“alignleft” width=“940”]  Two riot policemen (R and 2nd L) struggle with a protestor when some fighting erupted during an anti-racism demonstration against the anti-immigration movement Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West (PEGIDA) in the centre of Munich, January 12, 2015. REUTERS[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_2045181” align=“alignleft” width=“940”]  Some marchers held up placards with the names of the French journalists killed by Islamic militants in Paris. Others carried banners condemning the “lying press” that they claimed misrepresents their cause. One poster showed Chancellor Angela Merkel wearing an Islamic headscarf: Reuters[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_2045171” align=“alignleft” width=“940”]  PEGIDA’s critics, including all of Germany’s mainstream parties, have accused the group of exploiting the attack to stir up race hatred. In other cities across Germany, counter protesters outnumbered the anti-Islam demonstrators: Reuters[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_2045179” align=“alignleft” width=“940”]  Berlin police said 4,000 people demonstrated against an anti-Islam rally numbering about 400 protesters. In Munich 20,000 people took to the streets to support tolerance and only 1,500 anti-Islam protesters showed up: Reuters[/caption]