A far-right group that protests against the perceived “Islamification of the west” has prompted concern after it announced plans to march in Newcastle in its first UK rally.
The German movement Pegida said it would hold an event in the city on 28 February in what locals fear is an attempt to whip up tension following the Paris attacks by Islamist gunmen last month.
The group, known by its acronym which translates as “patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the west, convulsed Germany in January when it drew 25,000 protesters to a rally in Dresden at the same time as 100,000 people took to the streets to mourn the victims of the French terror attacks.
In a Facebook post, the group said: “Pegida UK is holding its first rally in Newcastle. All are welcome to attend. Let’s show the Islamists we show no fear.”
As of Thursday afternoon, 230 people had clicked to confirm they would attend the Newcastle rally. Demonstrations in Birmingham and London have been mooted for a later date.
Newcastle Central’s Labour, Chi Onwurah, told the Guardian that Pegida would not find the same level of support in the north-east city as in Germany.
“Pegida, like EDL and all those who try to peddle a message of hatred, will find they have no place in Newcastle,” she said.
“I was born and grew up in Newcastle. It’s a city of strong communities and we value our diversity and our shared values and those include respect for people and working together.
“This morning’s report on the rise in antisemitism shows that there are people who are trying to exploit tensions between communities – there’s an increase in antisemitism, an increase in Islamophobia – and Newcastle stands against that.”
Onwurah said she had not seen a rise in tension in Newcastle since the Paris attacks but said there had seen an increase in Islamophobic and antisemitic comments on social media.
“Most people in Newcastle understand that those who committed the Paris attacks are vile murderers and they are no more representative of Islam than the Ki Klux Klan of Christianity,” she said.
“We’ve seen from the marches that EDL have organised, and the National Front and BNP before them, that they will attract some people. But there are far more people who stand out against this kind of hatred.
“They’re not going to find the same kind of support in Newcastle that they’ve been finding in Germany, in part because our communities talk and engage together all the time.”
Opponents have pledged to hold a counter-demonstration if the Newcastle march goes ahead, with Unite Against Fascism’s joint secretary Weyman Bennett saying: “They have tried to do this all over Europe. I think we should oppose it.”
Northumbria police said it had not been contacted by the organisers.
A spokeswoman said: “At the moment we have not received formal notification from this group about a proposed march.”
Pegida’s progress in Germany has been hit by the resignation of five leaders amid fears the cause was being hijacked by extremists.
