Bürgerbewegung Pax Europa

<youtube size="medium" align="right" caption="Robert Spencer at a BPE rally in Berlin, Oct. 2009">fNtS-Q-2EPY</youtube>
Bürgerbewegung Pax Europa (BPE) is a German group which describes itself as a "Human Rights Organization for Freedom and Democracy Against Islamization".Citizens' Movement Pax Europa, Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, accessed 20 October 2009.
According to Hope Not Hate, it was founded 17 May 2008 by the merger of Bundesverband der Bürgerbewegungen (BDB) and Pax Europa.Hope Not Hate, Bürgerbewegung Pax Europa , Counterjihad Movement: Germany, accessed 19 January 2015
 
BPE was co-founded and formerly led by Udo Ulfkotte.Khaled Diab, Villains of the Pax, Comment is Free, guardian.co.uk, 11 September 2007. Prominent anti-Islam activist Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff is involved in the organisation's Austrian arm BPE Österreich although has represented the organisation at OSCE conferences.
==Activities==
 
===SIOE and Vllaams Belang collaboration===
Former leader Udo Ulfkotte cooperated with Stop Islamisation of Europe and the Belgian Vlaams Belang in planning a demonstration in Brussels in August 2007, but subsequently pulled out, leading to an acrimonious dispute with his former allies.Khaled Diab, Villains of the Pax, Comment is Free, guardian.co.uk, 11 September 2007. Ulfkotte reportedly cited racist incitement against Muslims as the reason for his resignation.
===Hosting Robert Spencer===
BPE hosted a rally in Berlin on 3 October 2009, at which speakers included Robert Spencer, Rene Stadtkewitz, Michael Höhne-Pattberg, Willi Schwend and Achim Swietlik.Robert Spencer, Spencer at Human Rights Rally in Europe, Jihad Watch, 3 October 2009.
===Solidarity with Geert Wilders===
BPE co-organised a demonstration outside the Dutch embassy in Berlin in 2010, in solidarity with anti-Islam Dutch politician Geert Wilders. It reportedly has close links with Wilders’ Party for Freedom (PVV) in the Netherlands.
===Welcoming PEGIDA===
In January 2015, BPE issued a press release welcoming and declaring its support for the anti-Islam movement PEGIDA, claiming that the concerns of those involved were justified as ‘Islamisation’ posed an existential threat to ‘liberal democratic societies’ in Europe and ‘national cultural identities’. It reprinted the 16-point ‘position paper’ of PEGIDA.PEGIDA: Presseerklärung und Stellungnahme der BPE, 7 January 2015, accessed 19 January 2015.
===OSCE submissions===
 
Pax Europe regularly engages with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), particularly its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). Its submissions include:
*A 2009 document arguing that 'any effort to ban free speech in name of religious interests on the pretext of "Islamophobia" or racism must be prevented.'Pax Europa, SUPPLEMENTARY HUMAN DIMENSION MEETING ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF, 9-10 July 2009, accessed 20 January 2015
*A 2011 document produced jointly with the International Civil Liberties Alliance and Netwerk Karl Martell questioning why anoother OSCE Human Dimension Meeting participants had labelled it, Pax Europa, 'racist' and denying the validity of this term.Pax Europa, Prevention of Racism, Xenophobia and Hate Crimes through Educational and Awareness-raising initiatives, 10-11 November 2011, accessed 20 January 2015
*A 2012 statement by BPE Austria which called on the Austrian authorities to 'demand a certified German copy of the Koran to check whether Islamic teachings are indeed compatible with Austrian laws'.Pax Europa, Statement by Bürgerbewegung Pax Europa-Austria, 1 October 2012, accessed 20 January 2015 
*A 2013 complaint about Tommy Robinson and Kevin Carroll of the English Defence League being arrested trying to protest shortly after the Woolwich murder which called for observers to be sent to the UK to assess the situation regarding freedom of movement.Pax Europa, Losing the right to walk the streets of London, 27 September 2013, accessed 20 January 2015
*A 2013 submission purportedly about violence against women and children, which claimed, without providing evidence that 'Sweden has the second highest rape rate in the world' and 'in most cases the perpetrator is a Muslim immigrant'Pax Europa, Prevention of violence against women and children, 30 September 2013, accessed 20 January 2015]
*A 2014 statement which recommended that OSCE member states 'repeal all hate speech legislation'.Pax Europa, Statement by Bürgerbewegung Pax Europa, 23 September 2014, accessed 20 January 2015
*A 2014 statement ostensibly about trends in hate crime against Jews and Christians which claimed, without providing evidence, that 'to great extent by immigrants of Muslim background' were responsible for persecuting and Christians of immigrant background, who were also apparently 'threatened with stoning'.Pax Europa, Statement by Bürgerbewegung Pax Europa, 30 September 2014
*Two September 2015 statements read out by Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff at the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, the first on 'Anti-semitism: The need to focus on perpetrator', and another entitled 'The tyranny of definitions'.' OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, Working Session 15: Freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief: Ensuring the collective dimension of freedom of religion or belief Meeting and Session 13 “Combating Hate Crimes and Ensuring Effective Protection and against Discrimination”, Warsaw, September 29, 2015 
==Publications==
* BürgerForum online newsletter – since 2009
*'The Minority Report: The admitted Islamization of Europe’ - a 496-page document, accessible via the internet archive.Der Minority Report: Die zugelassene Islamisierung Europas Pax Europa via the Internet Archive, 18 July 2006, accessed 19 January 2015
==Affiliations==
*Politically Incorrect (PI) blog – ‘close links’
*Party for Freedom (PVV) – ‘close links’
==People==
 
===Board===
*Willi Schwend – President and co-founder
*Rene Stadtkewitz – Deputy Chairman
*Eckhardt Kiwitt 
*Gerhard Lipp 
*Dieter Moll
*Wilfried Puhl-SchmidtVorstand, Bürgerbewegung Pax Europa, accessed 20 October 2009.
===Staff=== 
*Conny Axel Meier - General Managing DirectorCitizens' Movement Pax Europa, Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, accessed 20 October 2009.
===Other===
*Achim Swietlik - Berlin chapter President
*Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff - BPE Österreich
*Rainer Grell
==Contact==
*Website http://www.buergerbewegung-pax-europa.de/
*Blog https://bpeinfo.wordpress.com/
==Notes==
Category:Counterjihad
Category: Islam Critics
Category:Germany