Between 7,000 and 10,000 supporters of German anti-Islam movement Pegida turned out to listen to Dutch politician Geert Wilders in Dresden on Monday evening, far fewer than the 30,000 the organisers had predicted.

During his speech Wilders described Pegida supporters as ‘plucky patriots’ in the battle ‘against the Islamisation of the west’.

He compared Monday’s demonstration to the scenes 26 years ago when tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest against the communist dictatorship.

The organisers had hoped Wilders’ presence would attract a far bigger crowd. Around 25,000 people attended the first Pegida rally but their number has dwindled since then.

Germany’s integration minister Aydan Ozoguz said earlier that by inviting Wilders the movement had shown its true extremist colours.

‘Anyone who still marches behind their flag is joining an openly far-right movement,’ Ozoguz is quoted by the Guardian as saying to newspaper Welt.

Wilders is facing charges of inciting hatred and discrimination in the Netherlands. His party has also lost support in recent local, provincial and European elections.

According to German television, around 3,000 anti-Pegida demonstators took part in a rally against the Wilders meeting, but were kept well away by a court order.