German intelligence closely monitoring anti-Islam movements.

German intelligence closely monitoring anti-Islam movements. (ET).

BERLIN: Germany’s domestic intelligence agency is closely monitoring anti-Islam movements like PEGIDA following a march last week in which demonstrators held up a mock gallows with a noose marked for Chancellor Angela Merkel, a spokesman for the interior ministry said.

“The parading around of this gallows last week is a clear example that the baiting, the aggressive potential of this movement is growing,” the spokesman told a regular government news conference. “This development is being watched very closely by domestic intelligence authorities, both at the federal and state level.”

PEGIDA is scheduled to hold a rally in Dresden on Monday night which will mark the one-year anniversary of its marches there. Several thousand took part in a rally last week at which a marcher held up mock gallows with the names of Merkel and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel on them.