Hundreds protesters rally in Czech capital against Islam after Paris terror attacks
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Hundreds of people gather during an anti-Islam rally in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Jan. 16, 2015. The gathering came as French and German authorities arrested at least 12 people Friday suspected of links to the Islamic State group and a Paris train station was evacuated, with Europe on alert for new potential terrorist attacks. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) (The Associated Press)
Hundreds of people are rallying in central Prague against Islam in a first such protest in the Czech Republic.
Organizers from a group called "We do not want Islam in the Czech Republic," which has more than 100,000 supporters on social media, say last week's terror attacks in Paris prompted their protest.
Waving Czech flags and banners that read "Islam is Evil," or "Europe wake up," the protesters honored Friday the 17 victims killed in the French capital.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Martin Konvicka, a leader of the group, says its aim is "to ban spreading and promoting of Islam." Konvicka says it has no formal ties with PEGIDA, which organizes bigger anti-Islam marches in Germany.
There were some heated exchanges between the group and two dozen counter-protesters.