Photo Gallery The Success of Provocation

A campaign launched by the anti-Islam party Pro-NRW in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia to display caricatures lampooning Muslims proved remarkable successful. It triggered a national debate in the country.
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Ahead of last month's state elections in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Islamophobic party Pro-NRW launched a caricature campaign, displaying anti-Muslim cartoons in front of mosques across the Rhineland. Here, an anti-mosque sign at one such demonstration on May 7 in Münster.

Foto: Thomas Starke/ Getty Images
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Two of the Pro-NRW demonstrations turned violent, with radical Salafists attacking police protecting the Pro-NRW demonstrators. Several officers were injured -- 29 in the most egregious eruption of violence in Bonn. Salafists in Pakistan later issued a death threat against Pro-NRW members.

Foto: Martin Gerten/ dpa
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German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich vowed on Friday to do more to counter the radicalism of Germany's Salafists.

Foto: Bernd Wüstneck/ dpa
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The Pro-NRW marches were small, but they had a significant effect. Hardly a day has gone by since without a critical article in a major German daily about the Salafists.

Foto: Henning Kaiser/ dpa
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The Salafist response to a rally in Bonn on May 5 was particularly violent, resulting in 29 injured police officers. Two of them were sent to hospital with stab wounds. Over 100 Salafists were arrested.

Foto: Henning Kaiser/ dpa
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Salafist praying in the street at a Pro-NRW rally in Cologne.

Foto: Mathis Wienand/ Getty Images
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Pro-NRW has become notorious for provoking Germany's Muslims. The party used this campaign sign in the last state election in North Rhine-Westphalia in 2010.

Foto: WOLFGANG RATTAY/ REUTERS