Antifa Turns Out in Force in Cologne

The first MSM article I encountered about today’s events in Cologne came from the English-language version of Deutsche Welle. Notice its emphasis on the counter-demonstrators rather than the Anti-Islamization Congress itself. You’ll also observe that the opinions of two representative sources of elite opinion — the mayor and a Green Party apparatchik — are given prominence, so that the “anti-fascist” narrative becomes the dominant one delivered to the public.

And, judging by the photograph, the Antifas (AFA, Anti-Fascistische Aktion) were prominent in today’s counter-demonstration, just as they were last September:

Demonstrators Protest Against Anti-Islam Rally in Cologne

Police in Cologne say about 1,600 people have protested peacefully against racism and a controversial “anti-Islam” rally held by right-wing groups that oppose the building of a large new mosque in the city.

Hundreds of left-wingers and members of church groups, trade unions and the Green party held a demonstration in Cologne to counter an “anti-Islam” rally organized by two rightist groups.

“Today we’re sending a signal that democrats stand united against right-wing radicalism, racism and agitation,” said Reinhard Bütikofer, former head of the Green party, who took part in the rally in downtown Cologne.

Cologne Mayor Fritz Schramma said the peaceful protests by residents on Saturday showed that the city is “open and tolerant.” He also said Cologne was “committed when it comes to defending these values.”

Security was tight as more than 5,000 police officers, outfitted with water cannons and riot gear, cordoned off the square where the “anti-Islam” demonstration took place. The authorities were concerned that there could be clashes between the two sides, as has frequently been the case in the past.

Cologne police had banned the right-wing groups from holding a high-profile demonstration in front of the Cologne cathedral in the city center and instead allowed them to assemble at another, more obscure, square in the Deutz district.

Police say there were about 300 people at the right-wing “Pro Koeln” and “Pro NRW” rally.

Notice the discrepancy in numbers between this version and the first-hand report I posted earlier today. The media would like readers to believe that Pro-Köln is a pathetic and insignificant political force, 300 versus the 1,600 “anti-fascists”.

What’s more, the number of police is more than twice the number of demonstrators and counter-demonstrators combined.

The article continues:
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The groups, which are campaigning against the building of a large new mosque in the city, held a larger rally last September which was joined by members of nationalist parties elsewhere in Europe. That protest sparked violent clashes and rioting by far-left demonstrators.

The two anti-Islam groups are opposed to the building of mosques and what they see as an influx of Moslem immigration into Germany.

Mayor Schramma vowed that the forthcoming national elections in September would not be used to exploit ethnic or religious tensions.

There will be no “sordid election campaign on the back of our foreign fellow citizens,” he said.

“…our foreign fellow citizens.”

Does nobody notice the contradiction in terms here?

Foreigners cannot also be our “fellow citizens”. Fellow citizens are those who were born in the our country, or have truly assimilated to it and have accepted its values, so that they are no longer foreign.

But “our foreign fellow citizens” are not assimilated. As reported earlier today, 71% of German Muslims remain faithful to their countries of origin. They are not loyal to Germany and traditional German values. They do not enrich the country with their diversity.

It makes you want to grab these clueless politicians by the lapels and shake some sense into them.

The political deck is stacked against Pro-Köln and ordinary German citizens. It’s hard to see how they can escape the smothering blanket of political correctness that has covered them for the last few decades.