Stone-throwing protesters have disrupted the opening of a right-wing conference against the building of a giant mosque in Cologne, Germany.

The demonstrators blocked two leaders of the Pro-Cologne movement from entering the conference venue, pursuing them as they sought refuge on a boat.

The "anti-Islamification" event has drawn speakers from across Europe. Its main event is a march on Saturday.

But opponents are predicting a massive counter-demonstration.

German nationalist leaders had hoped to give a press conference at a building in Cologne, but were barracked by a crowd of dozens, and turned away by a city official on orders from the mayor.

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The Pro-Cologne group said it was trying to build a "European, patriotic, populist right-wing movement", and said it expected politicians from Belgium, Austrian and Italy to attend its conference.

The centrepiece is a rally on Saturday against the building of a large, domed mosque, with two 55m (177ft) minarets, in the city's heavily immigrant Ehrenfeld district.

Construction has been approved by the city council and is due to begin by the end of the year.

Cologne Mayor Fritz Schramma called on the city's inhabitants to give the right-wingers "the cold shoulder".

Gabriele Hermani, a spokeswoman for the interior ministry condemned the conference saying: "We believe that such an event organised by populists and extremists in Cologne is damaging to the good co-operation between the city and its Muslim citizens."

(BBC)

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