Cologne, 12 Sept. (AKI) – At least 1,500 rightists from around Europe are expected to attend a protest next weekend over the start of building work on Cologne’s grand mosque, triggering fears of violent clashes, Germany’s news agency DPA reported.
Riot police throughout North Rhine-Westphalia state are being readied to separate the rightist anti-mosque protesters from up to 40,000 opponents expected to show up at the rally, being held in Cologne’s central Heumarkt square.
The founder of France’s anti-immigration National Front party, Jean-Marie Le Pen, is expected to show up.
The right-wing Pro Cologne group rejects the house of worship for the city’s large Muslim community as alien, while trade unions have organised a peaceful mass counter-demonstration in support of the mosque.
The far-right The Vlaams Belang party in neighbouring Belgium plans to send hundreds of supporters and Heinz-Christian Strache, head of the right-wing Freedom Party of Austria will also address the rally.
Pro Cologne which is organising the protest, will also have a bus-tour for anti-mosque protesters that will take in the site of the planned mosque and the city’s Muslim quarters, as well as the Ditib organisation which builds mosques for Turkish-speaking Muslims all over Germany, DPA reported.
The city gave planning permission this month for the mosque, which will have a dome and two minarets.
Pro Cologne is separate from Germany’s far-right parties, but state police have put it under surveillance.
Source : Adnkronos