Amazon gives income from anti-Islam group's song to refugees

BERLIN: Online retailer Amazon has pledged to donate its share of revenues from the sale of a song by the anti-Islam group PEGIDA to refugees, undermining the cause of the far-right movement.

PEGIDA'S song "Together We Are Strong" can be downloaded for 1.29 euros ($1.4 dollars) on Amazon and has been on its top-100 list for several days.

Amazon had come under pressure by social media users, who were making fun of the track and criticizing the online retailer for making a profit from a song by a group that is known for its anti-Islam and anti-immigrant sentiments. But next to the buy-button online, Amazon has now posted a sentence saying "Amazon helps. The proceeds of selling this song will go to a charitable organization supporting refugees."

Supporters of PEGIDA, which stands for Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West, have been organizing weekly protest rallies against Muslims, immigrants and refugees in the east German city of Dresden and other places for over a year.

The group, which believes there are too many foreigners in Germany, has said it wants to donate the proceeds from the song to homeless German citizens.

It wasn't immediately clear how big Amazon's share of the sales price is and how much will go to PEGIDA. Neither Amazon nor PEGIDA could be reached for comment Thursday.

The song was first released on Dec. 21. It doesn't have any lyrics, but features male voices humming and instruments playing the anthem-like melody.

PEGIDA's campaign of demonstrations peaked in January when more than 25,000 people participated in a protest march through Dresden. In recent weeks, the movement has drawn fewer participants in Dresden and has completely died down in other cities in Germany.

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