Iran Pushes for German Anti-Islam Congress to be Banned

[orieleye]

Many in Cologne oppose the building of a new mosque

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has held talks with the French embassy, urging France, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, to ban an anti-Islam conference scheduled in Cologne later this month.

Iran called on the French presidency of the European Union on Wednesday to prevent an "anti-Islamic congress" of right-wing groups from taking place in Germany later this month.

Iran's official IRNA news agency said the French charge d'affaires in Tehran was summoned to the Foreign Ministry's human rights department to discuss the Islamic Republic's concern about a perceived "growth in anti-Islam," said a Reuters report.

"Specifically, Iran asked the rotating head of the EU to prevent the formation of an anti-Islamic congress in Cologne in Germany by making responsible decisions," IRNA said.

The agency reported that the French charge d'affaires said France condemned any kind of racism or anti-Islamic action and promised to follow up the issue and respond to the Foreign Ministry.

"Pro Cologne" are Nazis, reads this banner

A protest against Muslims
The event is being organized by the far-right grassroots movements "pro Cologne" and "pro NRW" (North Rhine Westphalia).

The congress Web site says the meeting is supported by German right-wing groups, as well as by Belgium's Vlaams Belang and Austria's Freedom Party (FPOe). Far-right French politician Jean Marie Le Pen of the National Front has allegedly also announced he will attend.

The rally has been billed as a protest against "Islam terror in Europe, Muslim parallel societies and ghettos in our cities," as well as the controversial building of a new mosque in Cologne.

Iran Pushes for German Anti-Islam Congress to be Banned | Germany | Deutsche Welle | 04.09.2008

pro Köln

[sachsenkoenig]

As you are Irish you should understand hatred to the EU and it's authoritarian rule in the European heartland. I disagree with anti-Islam, because it is hatred, but honestly they are not protesting because they hate the relgion and culture of Islam, because honestly I doubt any pure German would know, they just are doing this because their #1 immigrant group is the Turks and people from the Middle East who commonly hold an Islamic faith. This is not a hatred of the Islam, it is a hatred of immigration. I hope that it is not banned, because honestly secularism and anti-immigration can be a good thing. Just look at the Amish, they have been secular from mainstream society and from interbreeding and they have prospered in numbers and have preserved an old culture.

[Savorgnan]

Sachsenkoenig, Orieleye isn't stating his opinion on this subject here, he's just copy-pasting an article (and a rather useful one, BTW).

[sachsenkoenig]

I never said he was, I was just strongly pointing out my oppinion and I think that is what he wanted for an answer ... right? I was just expressing my oppinion, everyone does it differently, I just happen to not be afraid to point it out.

If you are refering to my mentioning of him being Irish, I was just saying that because I was adressing the message to him and wanted to know I support Ireland and it's "dissent" against the EU, I wasn't mocking him. Sorry if it seemed I was, I guess I didn't know if I did.

[orieleye]

Originally Posted by sachsenkoenig

As you are Irish you should understand hatred to the EU and it's authoritarian rule in the European heartland.

I'm glad to hear it. A rejection of the EU by Germany would the end for the Brussels dictat.

This is not a hatred of the Islam, it is a hatred of immigration.

It takes this form probably because religious disputes are allowed whereas German nationalism is considered racism.