Wilders' speech at anti-Islam party rally in Berlin sparks protests

Berlin, Sept 4, IRNA - A planned speech by Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders at an election campaign rally of the German Islamophobic Freedom party (Die Freiheit) triggered protests in Berlin on Saturday, according to press reports.

Dozens of mostly young people rallied in the front of a luxury hotel in the city center amid tight security to voice opposition to Wilders' presence at the event.

Chanting 'Nazis out', protesters carried signs saying 'No platform for racists and Nazis'.

The venue of the election campaign rally had been kept secret by the Freedom party until Saturday morning to prevent a blockade by anti-Wilders protesters.

Around 700 people were expected to attend the rally to hear Wilders speak.

Wilders had strongly supported the creation of the German Islamophobic party which is vying for seats in Berlin's state parliament in the September 18 elections.

A former member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Rene Stadtekewitz launched the anti-Islam party last year.

The German Islamophobic politician has also actively campaigned against plans for building mosques in Berlin.

Germany's 4.3 million Muslims are alarmed over an Islamophobic wave stirred by Merkel's CDU and its sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU) in recent weeks.

The German government only recently admitted Islamophobia had in fact become a serious problem in the country as a result of deepening popular anti-Muslim sentiments.

According to German Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, there was a growing tendency among the public to view 'Muslims and their religion as a threat.'

German Muslim leaders have repeatedly urged the Merkel government to take the problem of Islamophobia seriously./end