MOSCOW (Sputnik) – According to the media outlet, five people were arrested after clashes between the two opposing groups. The men were detained for "isolated incidents", the police said, adding that generally the march was peaceful.
New Castle UNITES rally against fascist and racist pegida's demonstration. Via@rightnowio_feed http://t.co/vVVp4IoBPL pic.twitter.com/e3sbOuxJuZ
— La Historia Se Repit (@historiacrepite) February 28, 2015
"The vast majority of those that took part in today's events were peaceful and both groups stuck to their agreed times, routes and plans," a police spokesman was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
“@JLRFB: “@itvnews: Anti-Islam protesters outnumbered five to one at Newcastle Pegida rally http://t.co/uzVsPpjVg1 pic.twitter.com/FKru0B4QSj””
— Gaughan Stagg 32csm (@CumannGS) February 28, 2015#NewcastleUnites Thousands turn out as counter-march outnumbers #Pegida protest five to one http://t.co/53W1btvV1q pic.twitter.com/6Qzh1Q58TN
— The Chronicle (@EveningChron) February 28, 2015
The anti-Islamization protest was organized under the banner of Germany's high-profile Pegida movement, which stands for "Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West."
#NewcastlePegida marchers vastly outnumbered by counter-protests #religion http://t.co/r1x5dDzEXz pic.twitter.com/gpb1jhJ87O
— Religion Trends (@Religiolizer) February 28, 2015
Pegida originated in the German city of Dresden in October 2014, where it started to stage weekly demonstrations, calling for tougher immigration restrictions.
#Pegida UK!… Far-right groups have taken to the streets of #Newcastle for anti-Islam march!… #London #England pic.twitter.com/2xUnqUytnl
— Tamer Yazar (@tameryazar) February 28, 2015
Anti-Islamic sentiments in Europe come amid a string of terror attacks in Paris and Copenhagen carried out by radical Islamists, which put many Europeans on alert.
