Well over 1000 police officers are monitoring the ban on demonstrations this Wednesday evening – this is noticeable in downtown Munich. A helicopter circles over possible protest participants and monitors whether groups are forming anywhere. Barriers were set up in Ludwigstrasse and a few other corners of the university district. At Geschwister-Scholl-Platz, the police prevent large crowds from gathering.
There is also a massive police presence at prominent places such as Stachus or Odeonsplatz. An announcement is made that violations of the Corona requirements may result in a fine of 3000 euros.
Around 6.30 p.m. there were two arrests on Ludwigstrasse. When a woman is about to be taken away and calls for help, a man attacks the officers. A few hundred of the self-proclaimed “strollers” want to make their way towards Odeonsplatz when the police shut everything down on Rheinbergstrasse. All are sent back to the university.
In addition to officers from the Munich Police Headquarters, the Federal Police are also on duty this Wednesday evening, particularly checking the train stations in the city. Andreas Franken, spokesman for the Munich police, has made an urgent appeal to pandemic deniers and vaccination opponents who announced in their Telegram chat groups that they would disregard the ban and want to “go for a walk” in groups: “Don’t do this.”
The police want those from the city as General decree consistently enforce the issued guidelines. The concept that security forces want to “position themselves more aggressively” at critical points than in the past few weeks seems to be working at least in the early evening.
Police spokesman Franken appealed to parents in advance not to take children with them to forbidden marches or even to put them in the front row as protective shields. Franken did not want to rule out that there could be many complaints and many arrests in the evening. The criminal police are prepared for it.
The federal police have also increased the number of their officers and requested additional forces from the federal riot police. You are in close contact with the police headquarters and Deutsche Bahn Sicherheit. Police director Michael Rupp, the head of inspections of the Munich Federal Police, also reminded of the infection protection measures applicable in local public transport and on trains and the FFP2 mask requirement, which also applies in the main train station.
Melchior Ibing, a spokesman for the group “Munich stands up”, has called on his supporters to remain peaceful in a video message. He had the impression, however, that “the government” was doing everything “to provoke an escalation”.
This representation was immediately taken up in the Telegram group: There was talk of “hidden warfare that the politicians play here” and of “violent provocations by the police and (…) by infiltrated provocateurs”. One suggests: “Better to surround the cops, turn the tables.”
Administrative court approves conditions for corona demo – but 5000 people allowed
The legal situation in Munich is like this on Wednesday evening: rallies are only allowed if they have been registered 48 hours in advance – that should have happened by Monday evening. For the rally, which was moved from the city to Theresienwiese, the district administration department approved 2,000 participants, the Munich Administrative Court, which the organizers called on, then even 5,000 in the afternoon. As many as the grouping requested.
However, the administrative court has largely approved the conditions imposed by the state capital for a corona demonstration on Wednesday evening. In particular, the court rejected an urgent application by the organizers against the city’s ban on a demonstration march and against the relocation of a rally from the university district to Theresienwiese.
“Munich is getting up” officially canceled this rally a little later. A stationary meeting is “inhumane”. The group was apparently not particularly interested in a rally that complied with the requirements: “We did not decide to file a lawsuit out of naivety,” the group had already explained its tactics on Tuesday. “This time we are suing to make it very clear that we are exhausting all avenues.”
Corona-related demonstrations that have not been registered as “walks” are prohibited on Wednesday and Thursday. But the police will also disband larger groups that cannot be identified as a gathering. Because according to the Infection Protection Ordinance, only a maximum of ten people are allowed to meet. Provided they are all vaccinated.