Thousands rally at German protest against refugees, Islam

A protestor waves a German flag as he attends a demonstration of PEGIDA (Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West) in front of the Semperoper, Dresden's famous opera house, in Dresden, Germany, Monday, Oct. 12, 2015. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) (The Associated Press)

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Protestors stand next to a poster reading 'Merkelmussweg' (Merkel must go) during a demonstration of PEGIDA (Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West) in Dresden, Germany, Monday, Oct. 12, 2015. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) (The Associated Press)

Protestors gather in front of the Semperoper, Dresden's famous opera house, during a demonstration of PEGIDA (Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West) in Dresden, Germany, Monday, Oct. 12, 2015. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) (The Associated Press)

DRESDEN, Germany – Thousands of people have taken part in a protest organized by the anti-Islam group PEGIDA, almost one year after it held its first rally in the eastern German city of Dresden.

Police declined to provide a crowd count for Monday's protest, which passed peacefully. An AP reporter estimated the crowd at about 7,000-8,000.

Speakers including PEGIDA co-founder Lutz Bachmann denounced the German government's decision to allow more than half a million refugees into the country.

During the rally many protesters called for refugees to be expelled.

PEGIDA, the German acronym for "Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West," has seen a fresh rise in support but rallies remain smaller than its peak of 25,000 in January.