Germany pushes back against growing anti-Muslim sentiment

BERLIN - German political and religious leaders appealed for tolerance Tuesday in the wake of the Paris terror attacks, a message meant to counter both religious extremists and growing anti-Islam protests in Germany.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Joachim Gauck were among those who took part in the rally organized by Muslim groups near Berlin's iconic Brandenburg Gate and the French embassy, where wreaths were laid for the 17 people killed by Islamic extremists in Paris last week.

Merkel has taken a strong public stance in recent weeks against groups such as Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West, or PEGIDA. The group mobilized 25,000 supporters Monday for an anti-Islam protest in the eastern city of Dresden, which would make it the biggest of the anti-immigrant demonstrations so far, but still smaller than the numbers of pro-immigrant demonstrators who have been out on the streets across Germany.

"Excluding population groups due to their faith or their origin is beneath the dignity of our liberal state," the chancellor said in a speech in Berlin. "Hatred of foreigners, racism and extremism have no place in this country."

Gauck told a crowd of several thousand - some with "We are Charlie" placards for the Charlie Hebdo paper in Paris where 12 people were killed - that Germany has benefited from immigration.

He noted there were reasons to be concerned about young German Muslims going to fight in Syria and Iraq, but insisted Germany wouldn't allow itself to be split by extremists from any side.

"We stand against any form of demonization and ostracism," said Gauck.

PEGIDA's anti-Islam protests began twelve weeks ago and have grown steadily, tapping into fears among some Germans that the country is being flooded by Muslim immigrants.

Felix Menzel, runs a right-wing magazine that supports the anti-immigrant cause, told CBS News correspondent Mark Phillips that there is an element of "told you so" to the France terror attacks.

"Yes that's the scenario that they spoke about in the last weeks," Menzel said.

Germany has some 4 million Muslim residents, mostly of Turkish origin. That is equivalent to about 5 percent of the population of 80 million.