Organizers of a march of Muslims against terrorism in Cologne, Germany, were hoping to see as many as 10,000 show up Saturday to prove that the "religion of peace" did not condone terrorism. They were disappointed in that expectation.
Euronews reported that only "several hundred" Germans, mostly Muslims, showed up to the march.
ABC News reported that more than 1,000 eventually showed up to the march.
Germany's largest organization of Muslims, Ditib, declined to support the march, while the Turkish-Islamic Union spoke out against the demonstration, saying that it would only affirm the narrative that terrorism is an exclusively Islamic problem.
“Calls for ‘Muslim’ anti-terror demos fall too short, stigmatize Muslims, and constrict international terrorism to being just among them, and within their communities and mosques,” Ditib said in a statement.
“We welcome public action, but reject the way in which this march has been organized,” Ditib concluded.
Newsweek publicized the march on Friday, in an article estimating how many would show up. "Around 10,000 people are expected to gather in the German city under the slogan “Not With Us” for the Ramadan peace march," the post read, "first announced on June 7."
10,000 Muslims will march in Cologne on Saturday against terrorism https://t.co/FvYHp09P8F pic.twitter.com/lysILu8srX
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) June 17, 2017
Attendees posted photographs and videos from the event on social media.
#resisthate #lovenothate #Muslims #Muslimsresisthate #Cologne #Germany pic.twitter.com/0w2BCaVcUU
— diana (@realpestilence) June 18, 2017
"Muslims always stand up against terrorism," said one attendee, "but it's not covered in mainstream media, mostly, they focus on those people who commit the terrorism, who commit the murders."
