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Anti-Pegida March Underway in Dresden Ahead of Anti-Islamizaton Rally

© REUTERS / Hannibal HanschkeOpponents of the anti-Islam movement Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West (PEGIDA) take part in a demonstration in Dresden, Germany
Opponents of the anti-Islam movement Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West (PEGIDA) take part in a demonstration in Dresden, Germany - Sputnik International
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An anti-Pegida protest has begun in Germany's Dresden ahead of the anti-Islamization movement's Saturday rally due to be held across Europe, local media reported.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The "Solidarity without limits" group marched from Dresden's train station to the city center, accompanied by heavy police presence to prevent clashes with Pegida members, before starting a rally on the Theaterplatz Square, Die Welt reported.

The "Solidarity without limits" group comprises faith communities, alliances, parties and trade unions.

The demonstration, reportedly numbering up to 2,000, comes ahead of Pegida's main rally in Dresden.

Supporters of the PEGIDA movement. - Sputnik International
Pegida to Hold Anti-Islamization Marches Across 14 European Countries
The number of protesters from both sides may reach 25,000, German police said, with violent incidents expected.

Other Pegida rallies are due to be held in Britain, Switzerland and across Central and Eastern European member states of the European Union.

Pegida, an acronym for Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West, began organizing rallies in its home city of Dresden, in October 2014, attracting hundreds and later thousands of supporters.

The far-right German movement gained support in many member states of the European Union amid rising anti-migrant sentiment as Europe faces its biggest refugee crisis since World War II.

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