Muslim groups in Germany at odds over anti-terrorism march

The Nicht Mit Uns – or Not With Us – march was planned as opposition to violence in the name of Islam, but some groups claimed it stigmatised Muslims.

A row broke out among organisations representing Muslims in Germany over a peace march to protest against terrorism which was held at the weekend.

Nicht Mit Uns – or Not With Us – had been organised by Muslim activists in Cologne to make a stand against acts of terror and violence carried out in the name of Islam.

But the country′s biggest Islamic organisation said it would not take part in the demonstration, which it said amounted to an "assignment of guilt" that was in danger of splitting German society.

The organisers of the protest called Saturday′s event, which was attended by several hundred Muslims, the ′Ramadan March of Peace′.

They said they specifically chose Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, because of the large number of attacks that have been carried out across the world by Islamist terrorists during this period.

Listing a string of attacks from Paris and Brussels to Kabul, Baghdad and Istanbul, organisers Lamya Kaddor, an Islamic scholar and Tarek Mohamad, a Muslim peace activist, called on demonstrators to "send a powerful signal against violence and terror."    (The Guardian)

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