war in Ukraine
Peace demonstration instead of Cologne carnival – tens of thousands of participants expected
The Cologne Carnival festival committee has called for a peace demonstration on Monday – costumes are expressly desired
© Federico Gambarini / DPA
Actually, the Cologne carnivalists wanted to do a Shrove Monday parade in the stadium. But under the impact of the war in Ukraine, they decided to hold a peace demonstration.
Colorful and loud against Russia’s war in Ukraine: tens of thousands of people are expected to attend a peace demonstration in the fool’s stronghold of Cologne on Shrove Monday. The Cologne Carnival Festival Committee called for this – costumes are expressly desired. The procession is to be led by a Ukraine-themed satirical wagon.
Numerous organizations support the demonstration, including political parties, trade unions, the Bundesliga club 1. FC Köln and the band Brings. The Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wüst (CDU), also wants to take part. The police have prepared for a large-scale operation.
According to the festival committee, the protest march should cover a distance of 4.5 kilometers through the city center – past many of the floats that were actually built for the Rose Monday procession. At a rally at the Severinstorburg, where the Rose Monday procession usually starts, the Mayor of Cologne, Henriette Reker (non-party), should speak, among others.
Cologne Carnival is “more than partying and swaying”
“The Cologne Carnival can do more than celebrate and sway. Above all, it thrives on solidarity and community, values such as freedom and equality are our greatest asset,” said Festival Committee President Christoph Kuckelkorn. A spokeswoman emphasized that there would be no “typical elements” of a Shrove Monday parade, such as floats, carriages or camels.
The classic Rose Monday procession had been canceled due to the corona pandemic. As a small replacement, the festival committee had actually planned a Shrove Monday festival with a parade in the Cologne stadium. But under the impression of the Russian attack on Ukraine, the carnivalists canceled this festival on Thursday and decided to organize a peace demonstration instead.
Vaccination opponents meet to demo against corona measures
Participants are required to wear masks and the 3G rule – they must be tested, vaccinated or recovered. The city imposed a driving ban on heavy trucks in the city center for the entire Shrove Monday until midnight.
According to the police, a demonstration against the corona measures from Deutz on the right bank of the Rhine to the city center is also planned for the afternoon in Cologne, for which 3500 participants have registered. It cannot be ruled out that the two demonstration trains will meet, said a spokesman. The police do not expect any major problems from this, but are prepared.