Derisory turnout for German Defence League’s ‘march of the patriots’ in Cologne

Marsch der Patrioten advertUnder the slogan “march of the patriots” the EDL’s sister organisation, the German Defence League, organised a procession and rally in Cologne yesterday.

Sebastian Nobile, leader of the GDL’s Cologne Division, had issued a call to “representatives of all liberal, conservative, patriotic parties and organisations” to join the GDL’s demonstration, appealing to right-wingers to put aside their differences “for the sake of our country and our future”. In the event, according to a report in the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, only 50 marchers rallied to the GDL’s cause, while an anti-fascist counter-demonstration drew 150 participants.

One observer calculated that a mere 16 members of the GDL’s Cologne, Hanover and Rhein-Main divisions turned out for their own demonstration. The remainder of the “march of the patriots” consisted of small numbers of supporters of other far-right Islamophobic groups – 18 Pro-NRW, 10 from Die Freiheit and 6 from Politically Incorrect and Pax Europa.

So, not an astounding success for the GDL, I think it would be fair to say.

German Defence League March of the Patriots
Two of the GDL’s sixteen members on the march

Cologne demonstration against Marsch der Patrioten
Counter-demonstrators offer their view of the German Defence League and its allies