The UK branch of anti-Islamisation movement PEGIDA launched this week, headed by former English Defence League (EDL) leader Tommy Robinson, Paul Weston of Liberty GB and Anne Marie Waters of Sharia Watch UK.

Breitbart London reported from the launch that how the group aims to provide a “safe environment to show resistance to what is happening” because the “political system has failed us”.

Mr Robinson explained the PEGIDA movement, which is a German acronym standing for “Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West”, would give a voice to the “majority of the people in the UK [who] are concerned with certain elements of immigration, and how Islam is changing our country, but… are not being heard.”

He told Breitbart London the aim of the group was to cause political change by showing politicians how popular their ideas are:

“Hopefully when [the politicians] see such huge support for what we’re saying they will start talking about the issues… We’re not guna get a pat on the back for doing that. Like with the grooming scandal, no one congratulated us for bringing it to the forefront.

“But I don’t care if they can’t admit if we were right about the problem. I just want the problems solved.”

The group will hold its first event in Birmingham on Saturday 6 February, the same day that simultaneous events will take place in cities across Europe.

The movement started in Germany as evening “strolls” through the city of Dresden, with people holding banners denouncing the Islamisation of Europe, and soon spread.