Berlin, January 15 (RHC)-- In Germany, a record 25,000 people joined an anti-Islam rally in the city of Dresden. The far-right group Pegida has held weekly rallies against Islam, but this rally was the largest to date.

Some marchers carried signs that read "Je suis Charlie," in purported solidarity with the Charlie Hebdo victims. The anti-Islam movement appears to be spreading after last week’s attacks, with hundreds rallying in Oslo, Norway, and more actions planned in Austria and Switzerland.

But across Germany, an estimated 100,000 people joined counter-protests against Islamophobia, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for unity. Merkel attended Sunday’s rally in Paris and attended a rally in Berlin on Wednesday, organized by Muslim groups to denounce both terrorism and intolerance.