Posted on 09/19/2008 3:03:19 PM PDT by WesternCulture
Cologne is bracing for violence this weekend as far-right supporters from all over Europe gather for an "anti-Islamification congress" and rally defending the continent against an "immigrant invasion."
Those attending the event starting Friday in the west German city include Filip Dewinter, head of Belgium's far-right Vlaams Belang party, and Andreas Mölzer, the Euro MP once ejected from Austria's Freedom Party for being too extreme.
Also adding his support to what organisers call Europe's "shared, thousand-year history", identity and "Western values and Christian traditions" will be Mario Borghezio from Italy's anti-immigration Northern League. Jean-Marie Le Pen, the veteran head of France's financially stricken Front National who has several past convictions for racist and anti-Semitic outbursts, has declined an invitation to attend, however.
The rally is being organised by the far-right Pro-Köln (For Cologne), which says it on its website that "half a dozen" coaches have been hired to bring supporters from Belgium. A "high-ranking delegation" is also expected from Austria, as are supporters from Italy, Spain and Britain, it says.
Pro-Köln hopes 1,500 people will attend the high point of the two-day congress, a rally in the city centre starting at noon on Saturday, and police say they expect several hundred. But their numbers will be dwarfed by 40,000 to 60,000 people that Cologne's mayor hopes will gather for one of the 20 or so planned counter-demos that are also expected to attract supporters from other European countries.
Mayor Fritz Schramma, whose city council recently gave the green light for the construction in Cologne of what will be one of Europe's biggest mosques, has called on the city's inhabitants to show the far-right "the cold shoulder."
"Shut your windows and doors, lower your shutters ... Make it clear to Pro-Köln and its camarilla: you are not welcome in Cologne," Schramma said in a statement.
"Cologne is a city for Christians and Muslims, for people with and without religion. Our city is renowned for its variety and its tolerance ... Populist right-wing rat catchers openly in favour of exclusion and who stir up fear are not welcome here," he said.
He also called for demonstrators to refrain from violence - but police are taking no chances. They plan to deploy around 3,000 officers to prevent and break up any clashes in the city centre's narrow cobbled streets and alleyways.
"We have prepared very well for this ... We will not tolerate any violence," police chief Michael Temme said, admitting however that the mission will be "very difficult."
The US Embassy issued a statement advising Americans to "defer non-essential travel to Cologne at this time."
Those attending the conference may find it hard to get a glass of Cologne's famous Kölsch beer, with 150 of Cologne's bars putting up banners promising "No Kölsch for Nazis." Some 200,000 beer mats have also been printed with the same message.
Too bad only the far right has taken on this issue. It should concern everyone.
“Believe me, this is not an issue of race, it’s a matter of Europe.”
Europeans have decided that Europe is not worth fighting for. Certainly, Britain and Belgium have embraced defeatism.
“Too bad only the far right has taken on this issue. It should concern everyone.”
- In Europe, anyone who does NOT fancy the idea of Europe being swamped by Muslims, is automatically labeled “far right” by our Socialist/Liberal media and our PC politicians.
This sad fact is an excellent example of how PC stupidity paves way for TRUE Fascism.
We, the Westerners of today, do the great cause in which Washington, Lincoln and Churchill believed no good by teaching our children that certain matters and certain issues ought not to trouble the minds of ordinary people.
Let’s do what our common Western role models, the ancient Greeks did; eat, drink, be merry, expand our intellects, participate in adventures, in fierce debates, in conquest and leave things like holding back to accountants.
“Europeans have decided that Europe is not worth fighting for”
- Yes, this goes for a lot of us today. But personally, I’d say Europe is less predictable than any continent.
You have probably already read this, but I will post it here anyway.
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