Anti-Islam 'Pegida' rally in Dresden sees record turnout Published duration 23 December 2014

media caption Demonstrators sang carols and listened to speeches about immigrants, as Laura Westbrook reports

A record 17,500 people have turned out for the latest "anti-Islamisation" rally in the German city of Dresden, according to police estimates.

Demonstrators sang Christmas carols and listened to speeches about immigrants and asylum seekers.

Weekly rallies by a group called Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the West, or Pegida, began in October.

Several counter-demonstrations were being held on Monday.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and other senior politicians have spoken out against the Pegida rallies.

image copyright AP image caption Monday evening's Pegida rally in Dresden was the largest to date

image copyright EPA image caption Demonstrators gathered in front of the Semper Opera House to rally against "Islamisation"

image copyright AP image caption Organisers say they are against extremism, but the rallies have drawn support from far-right groups

image copyright EPA image caption There were counter-demonstrations in Dresden, Munich and Kessel

image copyright EPA image caption The Bavarian State Opera House hung banners in support of "humanity, respect and diversity"