CRI听力:Rival Protests over "Islamisation" Held across Germany

Supporters and opponents of a group campaigning against, what it sees, as the "Islamisation" of Europe, have held rival rallies across Germany.

Counter-demonstrations against the anti-Islamist group took place in the city of Dresden on Monday.

This is the German city which has seen a ground-swell of support for a local anti-Islamist movement, which has seen its weekly rallies in Dresden grow into the tens-of-thousands.

However, around 3-thousand turned out on Monday's rallies to block the group's march.

The anti-Islamic movement has caught the attention of the highest-levels of the German government, with Chancellor Angela Merkel calling on people to reject and ignore xenophobia.

"You're unwavering when it comes to advocating for tolerance and freedom. I want to say that again, your commitment against right-wing extremism is undisputed and of prime value in this country. Because we do have to show the flag and say that right-wing extremism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism can find no place in our society."

Germany is highly-sensitive to extremist movements, and has laws on the books to outlaw supporters of the Nazi's.

However, the country is very liberal when it comes to its free speech laws and immigration rules.

The number of asylum seekers in Germany hit 200-thousand last year, a number of whom arrived from Muslim countries, including Syria and Iraq.