Carnival
Carnival in the shadow of the new year’s eve
The horror after the new year’s eve Assault in front of the Cologne Cathedral for the women’s carnival in the Background. A Großaufgebot the police secured the street carnival. From Cologne Andreas Gorzewski.
As an elf, bee, purple Milka-cow, Minnie Mouse, Kuschelbär, or native Indian woman-clad women flock together with costumed men from the Central station. Like every year, my gallery have the fools that Say in the Karnevalshochburg.
However, the sign for the start of the great days different this time than in previous years. Many women still have the pictures of the new year’s eve in mind. The former wave of sexual harassment and Grapschereien on the station forecourt overshadowed the Sway and the “Bützen” – Kölsch for kisses.
“We avoid the places where many people are,” says a student in Bavaria leather pants and proper knee socks and looks out onto the station forecourt. Your valuables it has better hidden than usual. Your friend with the blue tights and Schlumpfmütze nods and adds: “From our parents we had to listen, that we better watch out.”
Happy holiday: From Cologne main station from plunging the revelers in the street carnival
Behind them a dozen silly women in Zebra outfit over and makes it loudly clear that the
Carnival of nothing and no one to spoil want to leave. An American tourist, which of the Attacks has heard, feels according to their own words, completely safe.
Different picture than on new year’s eve
At first glance, this Thursday in front of the station a little to the terrors of the night on new year’s day. In the drizzle draw crowds dressed up men and women about the place, hardly anyone remains. Many have a beer in the Hand. Relevant Karnevalsschlager sounds from speakers. Confetti covered the floor. Half of the area is already with grandstands for the Rosenmontagsumzug developed. Only the
Police cars and the mobile Camera in front of the main entrance point to the night, the nationwide for heated discussions caused.
Forewarned: revelers should pickpockets be careful, security Cameras, the thieves deterred
Five weeks ago were still hundreds of young people to pass Through safely impossible. Fireworks and rockets flew at passers-by. Young men, who according to the witnesses, predominantly from the Arab and North African regions were afflicted, massively women. So far went to the police, more than 800 complaints of sexual Assault and Taschendiebstählen.
Police everywhere
This is supposed to be the highlight of the fifth Season, not a repeat. For the new commissioners Jürgen Mathies, the total of six days of street carnival to the test. Mathies made it clear that his officials, in the case of incidents consistently and early intervention would. In order for the contrast to new year’s eve, wherever possible, were 2500 officers mobilized. In previous years, there were not even half as many. The uniformed security forces are present everywhere, but in the Background. In the midst of the heaving crowd are more false FBI and SEC agents to see as real police officers.
Mayor Henriette Reker (independent) had announced: “We will be in Cologne in the traditional, world-famous carnival celebrations, the way we’ve always done it.” Despite of the security measures remains in many an uneasy feeling. “It looks already, who is next to stand,” says a woman with a black cloak. “It is sensibilisierter,” agreed their red-and-white costumed companion with the Cologne coat of arms on both cars. The joy of the carnival wants to be the thirty-something but not to spoil. “This is our Cologne we can not take us, and we are many,” she says defiantly. Then connect the two the noisy crowd towards the city center.
In Schunkelstimmung: Cologne’s Lord Mayor, City Of Henriette Reker
Information for refugees
Women’s carnival – on Kölsch Wieverfastelovend – marked in many cities on the Rhine the beginning of the street carnival. The highlight form the Rosenmontagsumzüge before ash Wednesday all over again. So until then, as far as possible avoid any misunderstandings, and informed the city, among other things, in Flüchtlingsunterkünften, what carnival is and what is not. Not every peck on the cheek was an invitation to more. If a “lecker Mädche”, like pretty young ladies in the Rhine metropolis to be named, said no and then hot, no – so like outside of great days also.
Shoulder to shoulder: Cologne want to get the joy of carnival is not to take
On flyers to warn the security agencies: “be careful with physical contact.” In the case of sexual Assault recommend to you: “Run away-scream-Defend”. A “Security Point” with psychologists is used in the vicinity of the Cathedral as a possible point of contact. In the first hours of colorful activity was recorded by the Cologne police, but not more incidents than on this day usual.
Mayor Rekers controversial recommendation that women, at best an arm’s length distance to keep, can be in the crowd, hardly to follow. Especially in the crowded Altstadtkneipen, in which the rain is celebrated, which is impossible. On the question of whether this year will be a different procedure than usual, says a young elf with giftgrüner wig: “not Really.” She wanted to just have fun. The Mittzwanzigerin says: “Last year was more going on.”