DRESDEN, Germany – A movement called Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West (PEGIDA) continues to grow in popularity, drawing thousands of people to a series of evening marches in the city of Dresden, yesterday.

On December 15, an estimated 15,000 people took part in PEGIDA’s march, many came from all over Germany. One was Paul, a retired doctor from the capital Berlin, 200km away. He said it was important for him to march in order to show that PEGIDA is made up of ordinary people, not far-right ideologues.

“I am not in principle against Muslims,” Paul told Al Jazeera, asking to be identified only by his first name. “I say we don’t want so many Muslims that our culture will be changed. We want to be Germans, we want to be Europeans, we don’t want too many people to come here and try to get money from our social system.”

Chancellor Angela Merkel has condemned the demonstrations, saying: “There is no place here for stirring up hatred and telling lies about people who have come to us from other countries.” Justice Minister Heiko Maas said the demonstrations are “shameful for Germany”, and several other politicians have referred to PEGIDA as “Nazis with pinstripes”.

(Al Jazeera)