Utrecht bans Pegida demonstration at mosque

The city of Utrecht will not allow Pegida to demonstrate at the Ulu mosque in the Lombok neighborhood on Wednesday. The municipality offered the anti-Islam movement an alternative location for their demonstration, near the police station in the area, RTV Utrecht reports.

Earlier this month things turned violent during a Pegida demonstration at the mosque. The police had to intervene when counter-demonstrators started throwing eggs, tomatoes, bottles and cans. The city therefore will not risk another demonstration at the mosque, and searched for a place that is "more manageable, visible and controllable, so that protesters can be better protected in the event of irregularities", the city said.

No counter-demonstrations have been registered with the municipality for Wednesday, according to the broadcaster. The deputy mayor stressed that the police will intervene if Pegida demonstrators or counter-demonstrators do not comply with the rules on Wednesday.