The Growing Clash in Europe

As the recent Swiss minaret referendum has brought to light, the tensions between Europeans and their Muslim immigrants is growing. Call it a culture clash if you want, but the man on the street in Western Europe is not happy about what they perceive as growing Islamization in their countries. To most of them, it is not about racism or religious bigotry, rather a feeling of being taken over by a hostile wave.

As you will see from some of the images, Muslims in Europe have also taken the liberty to hold demonstrations and prayers in front of at least two of Europe's most famous cathedrals; the Duomo in Milan and the Dom in Cologne. Many Christian Europeans have taken offense to that.






Above: January 2009- During the Gaza conflict, demonstration against Israel in front of the Duomo.

During December, Shi'ite Muslims observe a self-flagellating bloodletting ritual that commemorates the death of the Prophet Mohammed's grandson in the Battle of Karbala in 680AD. (Sunni Muslims observe this by fasting.) This now takes place on European streets as seen below in these photos from Athens and London. While probably protected as a religious freedom under local laws, many Europeans view this as abhorrant.

December 2009- Ashura ritual in Athens




December 2009- Ashura ritual in London





Above two videos-January 2009. Protest against Israel in front of the Cologne Dom.


Recently, there has been a big controversy in Cologne over the construction of a grand mosque in that city.




Above- Germans counter-demonstrate against Islamization and construction of Cologne mosque. Bottom photo-sign reads, "Freedom instead of Islamization". Top photo-sign reads, "Solidarity with Israel".

One of the largest organizations in Europe against the growing Islamic influence is called "Stop the Islamization of Europe". In the below photos you see a December 2009 demonstration by this group in England. They had been denied a permit to demonstrate in Brussels.


Counter demonstration. (BNP stands for British National Party, which many accuse of being racist.)

As you can see, assimilation in Europe doesn't work like it has up to now in America. There are serious social and political problems in most every Western European country as a result of this divide.

Where is it all headed? No place nice, that's for sure. The efforts of European leaders to assimilate and accommodate even the most radical immigrant voices has failed. Now the people are speaking out. It is sadly becoming apparent that the end result of all this will be something drastic-one way or another. Either Europe becomes Islamic in another generation or two, or the far right-wingers (by European definition, not American) take power and resort to mass deportations- or some sort of civil war results. It will take some real European leadership to head off the coming catastrophe in a just and peaceful manner. I hope some such leaders emerge.