Stop Pegida! Refugees and muslims welcome! [ENG]

More info on this event on the Facebook page.

Sunday 11th of October, 01:00pm, at the statue of Anne Frank, Janskerkhof, Utrecht

Over the past month throughout the Netherlands there have been collections of money, food and clothing for refugees. Thousands of people took to the streets in Amsterdam, The Hague and Groningen under the slogan ‘refugees welcome!’ This is heartening. At the same time politicians like Wilders trying to channel the anger that people feel about neoliberal austerity policies against Muslims and refugees.

Where Wilders calls for opposition against refugee centers Nazis put their money where their mouth is. Under the umbrella of Pegida they want to march in Utrecht on 11 October. Pegida is the name of the street movement in Germany earlier this year, where thousands of people mobilized against the ‘Islamization of the West’. For the protest on 11 October the Dutch Nazis also invited Lutz Bachmann. He is known for the photographs he took of himself posing as Hitler.

Hundreds of thousands took to the streets in response to Pegida across Germany. This opposition was shaped by activists, left-wing parties and organizations and trade unions. Due to this pressure from below the front fell apart, but it’s far-right ideology was normalised. This year alone, for example, more than 200 attacks have been committed to refugee centers. It should not reach that point in the Netherlands.

This is why we want to take to the streets on October 11, to emit a different sound. Refugees and Muslims are welcome here. We put the blame for the cuts down to where it belongs: the multinationals, banks and their accomplices in politics. Stop the scapegoating! There is plenty for everyone!

Supporting organisations: AFA Eindhoven, Emcemo, Internationale Socialisten, Platform stop racisme en uitsluiting, ReINFORM