Cologne Cathedral to Go Dark in Protest Against Anti-Islam PEGIDA

The historic Cologne Cathedral, a German landmark on par with the Brandenburg Gate, has announced that it will go dark in response to a rise in anti-Muslim sentiment throughout Germany.

Reuters reports that the cathedral will turn off every single one of its lights at the same time a demonstration is being held by the violently anti-Islam group Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West (PEGIDA).

Previously, PEGIDA was able to draw 17,000 Germans into the streets of Dresden in an anti-Islam march. Such a strong showing by such an intolerant group has forced German society to question its values and tolerance. One in eight Germans said they would attend a PEGIDA march if one happened in their town, according to Reuters.

This unease about PEGIDA is so strong that German Chancellor Angela Merkel dedicated part of her New Year's address to directly calling the group and its leaders racist. She also warned the German population against being used by opportunistic political leaders.

The Dresden march seems to have invigorated PEGIDA, which announced plans for more marches throughout Germany, one of which was supposed to be through Cologne with a rally under the shadow of the Cologne Cathedral.

PEGIDA also draws support from widespread concern over the fact that in 2014, Germany welcomed in 200,000 asylum seekers from around the world. That figure is a four fold increase from 2012.

Reuters reports the cathedral's administrators said they will leave the cathedral and its immediate environs shrouded in darkness, as "a challenge" to get people to think about exactly for what and who they are marching.

The cathedral is following in the footsteps of the Dresden opera house, which turned off all of its lights during the last PEGIDA march, according to Reuters.