Anti-Islam rally draws big crowds in Dresden, counter protest bigger in other German cities

Demonstrators bear flags of several European countries during a rally of the group Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West, or PEGIDA, in Dresden, Germany, Monday, Jan. 12, 2015. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) (The Associated Press)

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A protestor holds a poster with an image of German Chancellor Angela Merkel wearing a headscarf in front of the Reichstag building with a crescent on top during a rally of the group Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West, or PEGIDA, in Dresden, Germany, Monday, Jan. 12, 2015. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer) (The Associated Press)

A woman shows a banner reading “I am Charlie” for the victims of the shooting at the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris during a demonstration of thousands against the right wing PEGIDA movement, 'Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West' in Duesseldorf, Germany, Monday evening, Jan. 12, 2015. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) (The Associated Press)

DRESDEN, Germany – Strong crowds have shown up for an anti-Islam rally in Dresden, where some protesters are wearing black ribbons to show their solidarity with the victims last week's terror attacks in Paris.

The weekly rallies are being organized by a group called Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West, or PEGIDA, and started last October. Dresden police said Monday night they couldn't yet give exact numbers, but last week's rally drew 18,000 people.

In other cities across Germany, those attending counter protests outnumbered anti-Islam demonstrators by far. Berlin police said 4,000 people demonstrated against an anti-Islam rally of 400. In Munich 20,000 people took to the streets and only 1500 anti-Islam protesters showed up.

Leipzig police estimated that 15,000 counter protesters had showed up, along with many fewer anti-Islam demonstrators.