Two groups, one anti-hate and another called Pegida (Patriots of Canada Against the Islamization of the West) that is anti-Islam, held duelling rallies Saturday in front of London city hall. The anti-hate protesters began showing up around 10 a.m. and were already in full swing by the time Pegida and its supporters arrived about an hour later. There were about 30 to 40 Pegida protesters and around 500 anti-hate protesters. By noon, people were spilling onto Dufferin Avenue and London police officers blocked the street in front of city hall.

Anti-hate

These 500 or so individuals gathered before Pegida protesters arrived. They sang songs, held drum circles and chanted slogans such as “love is louder” and “love trumps hate.” They far outnumbered Pegida and many hung around after the anti-Islam group left city hall. “I’m proud to be visible with my scarf, people are coming and saying hi to me,” said Salam Attieh, a Muslim woman who came to the rally with her son and sister-in-law’s family. “I’m proud to be in London with such a supportive crowd. I like being in peace and love.”

Anti-Islam

Pegida protesters and their supporters began showing up around noon and were separated from the core of the anti-hate group by police officers and their bikes. Mostly wearing red and white and carrying signs about Sharia law and honour killings, this small but vocal group hung around for about an hour and then left the rally together.

Pegida supporters

Members of two groups — the Canadian Combat Coalition and the Three Percenters — showed up at city hall to support Pegida. The Canadian Combat Coalition says its goal is to protect Canadian heritage. Members were at the protest to stand with Pegida against illegal immigrants and Islam, said Dan DuBois, the coalition’s national president. “We’re only trying to preserve what Canada is today,” he said. Dressed in flak jackets, several members of the Three Percenters provided security for Pegida protesters. Members of the U.S.-based group have rarely been seen in Ontario and often have military training, said Barbara Perry, a hate crimes specialist at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa. “These are also the ones doing the street patrols, who have mosques under surveillance,” she said. “They’re armed and training with those arms.”

One family’s reaction

Across the street from the Three Percenters, a Muslim family from Windsor stood behind hundreds of Londoners chanting “Hate go home” and “No hate, no fear. Refugees are welcome here.” Seven-year-old Assim El-kadri said he wanted to be a good example to anti-Islam protesters. “Some people like Muslims, and some people don’t like Muslims,” he said. “And the people who do not like Muslims are seeing how good Muslims are.” His mother, Zeinab Aboumrad, said her children saw just how many Canadians will fight for their family’s right to belong. “We want to show them that the majority loves us,” she said.

Two arrests

London police arrested two people. Shortly before noon, an anti-hate protester, Jeremey Larivee said he was punched by a member of the Three Percenters. Police subsequently handcuffed the Three Percenter group member and removed him from the rally. “It’s going to take a lot more than that to take this old goat out,” Larivee said. “I’m going to stay here until this message needs to stop being spread.” As Pegida was leaving, a second protester — this time anti-hate — was arrested after another woman, who said she was part of a group called Suffragettes Against Silence, said she was spit on.

The exit

Pegida members left city hall and walked down Picton Street toward their parked cars on Queens Avenue. Anti-hate protesters followed them chanting “shame.” Many anti-hate protesters circled back to city hall and celebrated by drumming and singing for another half hour before the rally ended around 2:15 p.m.

With files from Free Press ­reporter Megan Stacey

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What’s being said

Mayor Matt Brown: “Londoners came together, they stood in solidarity and they clearly communicated that there is no place for hate, racism, Islamophobia in our community.”

Wendy Goldsmith, People for Peace:“It was an amazing gathering, a celebration of community, diversity, inclusion and love.

Zeinab Aboumrad, a Muslim woman from Windsor who brought her kids to the London rally: “We want to show them that the majority loves us.”

Coun. Michael van Holst:“There was a bit of a spectrum. Some people here are very light-hearted, other people are very angry.”

Eric Brazau, Toronto resident and anti-Islam protester:“I’m not teaching hate, I’m just preaching Canadian values.”