German Anti-Refugees Protests Do Not Reflect Attitude of Most Europeans

Over the weekend, a number of right-wing rallies were held in Germany. Some media reports suggested that far-right activists attempted to destroy refugee housing and shelters.

MOSCOW (Sputnik), Daria Chernyshova — Violent anti-immigrant protests held in Germany over the weekend do not reflect the general mood of Europeans, who tend to welcome refugees and asylum seekers, the head of the International Organization for Migration's (IOM) media and communication division told Sputnik Monday.

"I wouldn’t confuse some nasty people rioting with the majority of Europeans. Europeans tend to be pretty humanitarian, pretty open," Leonard Doyle said.

"I don’t think it says a lot about the situation, by and large the general population has been extraordinarily welcoming," Doyle said.

On Saturday and Sunday, a group of suspected neo-Nazis clashed with police forces, protesting the opening of a new shelter for refugees in the eastern German town of Heidenau, leaving more than 30 police officers injured, according the local media reports.

Last week, the German Interior Ministry said it expected 800,000 asylum seekers and refugees to arrive in the country by the end of the year, three times as many as in 2014.

A huge influx of refugees has prompted broad public debate in Germany. Municipalities say they do not have the resources to accommodate them and far-right extremists have been known to target refugee shelters.