PEGIDA Canada: "We're Not Racists" (UPDATED)

Earlier Sunday PEGIDA Quebec participated in a protest against Bill 59 and were met by anti-racist and antifascist groups. When one is challenging groups such as PEGIDA Canada the accusation that the membership and supporters of similar groups hold racist views is countered by the statement that, "Islam is not a race." In our view, there's a lot of parsing of the terminology going on here, however when we refer to the views held by the membership and supporters of groups like PEGIDA Canada who target Muslims we usually refer to them as bigots to avoid that argument. That term is challenged as well, as PEDIDA Canada suggest they are not against Muslims, but are in fact opposed to Islam. That claim is frequently made on the PEGIDA Canada Facebook group page, examples of which follows:

Not found on the PEGIDA Canada page, but on the page of a member.
More on Diane Hunter in the update at the bottom of the article.

Really?

A second statement found on the Facebook group's page also makes a similar claim lamenting the accusation of racism, but the underlying message seems clear enough to all who can read it:

We decided to take a closer look a PEGIDA Canada to test their claim that they are not in fact racists or bigots. Though we will inundate you, our dear readers, with screenshots from the PEGIDA Canada Facebook page that dehumanize Muslims (foreign, immigrant, refugee, and Canadian citizens) and which celebrate violence against Muslims (and anti-racists for that matter), we really could summarize the collective will of the members and supporters of PEGIDA Canada with this single post:

Yeah, they are racists and bigots, though we don't think this will really come as a significant revelation to many.

We begin first with the kinds of people who are attracted to groups such as PEGIDA (and the EDL, for that matter). We noted in a previous article concerning PEGIDA Canada's rally in Toronto that was shut down that some figures well known to our readers as members of the Aryan Guard and/or Blood & Honour made their presence known on the Facebook group offering advice and moral support:

 

 

 

 

Last night, we found another fella who would be familiar to our readers. Though he is currently using the name "Issel Wolf".... 

 

....he had posted the message originally under his real name:

So when the likes of Bernie Miller, Kirk Delmo, John Marleau, and Jody Issel are attracted to your message, you might have a racism problem.

But these ones are anomalies, right? Surely the others are simply concerned citizens who are troubled by extremism in Islam?

Well, let's take a look at the reaction to the counter-protest that took place when PEGIDA Canada held their first rally in Toronto. The organizers were upset that the counter-protesters allegedly damaged some of their equipment during the raucous affair. But, while were not pleased with Ron Banerjee's antics, the reaction from many of the PEGIDA Canada members and supporters mirrored Banerjee's desire for violence:

"These kids are all white...." Why is this important?

 

Wrong country buddy.

"EDL: started by football hooligans."

Quite the endorsement, eh?

 

 

 

 

A second thread concerned the actions taken by the police to mitigate the conflict:

 

 

 

 

 

Not sure if he knows that writing that you are
not xenophobic doesn't ring true when you
immediately write xenophobic comments
after you wrote you are not xenophobic.

 

Now, where the rubber really hits the road when it comes to exposing the nativism, xenophobia, bigotry (and yes, racism) of the PEGIDA Canada members and supporters is when they discuss current events. For example, when discussing an article in which Muslim parents request recognition in school for their religious observances:

 

 

 

 

Or on the topic of family reunification:

 

 

 

 

 

The discussion of the courts overturning the government's Niqab ban during citizenship ceremonies was most enlightening:

 

 

 

A touch of nativism, though it is somewhat ironic
that this, "real Canadian" struggles to communicate
in one of this country's two official languages.

So your Canada would exclude observant Jews as well?

 

 

 

Although most of the posters on the PEGIDA Canada Facebook group are supporters of the Conservative government and look to Stephen Harper to protect us from the jihadist hordes, they couldn't help but be disappointed when an alteration (minimal though it was) was announced by the immigration minister.

And as you read the comments, remember that they insist they aren't racist. Or violent:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judah still seems to be under the impression that the 9/11
hijackers originated in Canada. This has been proven to be
incorrect time and time again, but the lie persists.

 

 

 

 

The PEGIDA Canada folks do appreciate the actions taken or proposed by ultranationalists in other countries though:

 

We've briefly mentioned Michele Walsh on the blog in relation
to her support for Banerjee's "Rise Canada." We'll plan on
writing more about her at a later date too.

On this side of the pond once more, PEGIDA Canada members and supporters seem to continue to insist that the clock built by the 14 year old Texas teenager really was a bomb. Or it was a diversion for a bomb the "jihadists" planned to plant in the future. Really, they aren't entirely clear which conspiracy theory they are going on about.

Also, remember that even though this news story is lauded as an example of how, "racial profiling" works, PEGIDA Canada would continue to insist that this is not a racial issue:

He did tell the police it was a clock. Repeatedly.

 

 

 

Finally, we have a series of posts concerning an advertisement in the Toronto subways promoting Islam, much like the advertisements that promote Christianity that have found their way into the Toronto subway system.

As you read this, remember just how upset they were when anti-racist advocates are alleged to have damaged equipment or taken a banner belonging to PEGIDA Canada:

 

I'm not a religious person myself, but I have a feeling Pete
sort of misses the point about Jesus and his message.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By this point, many of our readers have likely noticed an additional theme of Christian nationalism expressed in many of the posts made at PEGIDA Canada's Facebook page. Sure, they are against shariah law and an Islamic caliphate, but that doesn't necessarily mean they don't think religion should be imposed on the citizens of this country. It just needs to be the RIGHT religion in which case, a theocracy appears to be perfectly acceptable:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, so we've established that Muslims aren't welcome in PEDIDA Canada's Canada. Who might be?

Here's a candidate:

This fella is from Germany. He and another PEGIDA supporter had a conversation on the Facebook page that clarified who would be acceptable:

 

 

 

Don't tell your new friends you don't hate all Muslims Scott.
If they know, you might be kicked out of the club.

 

To summarize, Muslim refugees are too dangerous and should be forcibly denied entry into Canada. But a German member of an outlaw biker gang illegally stockpiling weapons and bragging about it online? 

He's good people. 

Finally, what about those Muslims who do exactly what groups like PEGIDA demand of them? They integrate into society fully. They routinely condemn violence committed in the name of their faith (even though no one would ever think of making this demand of Christians when extremists use the Christian bible to justify their atrocities). They go as far as to promise to stand up against extremism and to protect non-Muslims:

They're good, right?

Nope. They are liars apparently.

".... like the rest of us..."

 

 

 

 

 

You see, there is no appeasing groups like PEGIDA. They simply will continue to hate no matter how delusional and unhinged the basis of their hatred is.

THIS is PEGIDA no matter how hard they try to sugarcoat things.

UPDATE: PEGIDA Canada also commented on the Montreal rally opposing Bill 59 today:

 

 

 

 

Diane Hunter's (who evidently participated in the PEGIDA Canada rally last weekend) comments condemning fascism earlier (claiming Islam is, "pure fascism") and then suggesting counter-protesters be labeled as members of a terrorist organization piqued our interest. What else did she believe?

Well, one can judge the character of an individual in part based on what that person finds joyful and uplifting. Diane, and some of the other participants on the PEGIDA Canada Facebook group page who are on her friend's list, find this something worthy of celebration:

 

If it is at all possible, it gets a lot worse:

 

 

 

 

 

And even worse:

 

 

And worse still:

 

 

But nothing was perhaps as disturbing as what follows:

 

 

 

Right. It's the anti-racists who are fascists.

There's a lot more, but it is really just more of the same. This last one might be, in our view, the most sad: