More than 15,000 people took part in a rally against racism and xenophobia in the western German city of Cologne on Sunday, police and organizers said, dpa reported. The rally was held following a number of demonstrations in Germany in recent weeks at which far-right demonstrators denounced what they see as the "creeping Islamization" of German society. One such rally, in Cologne in October, turned into a riot. At Sunday's anti-racism rally, the mayor of Cologne Juergen Roters told the crowd: "We are all standing here to show that this city can display a peaceful side." -- SPa 21:56 LOCAL TIME 18:56 GMT تغريد