After the celebrations at the start of the carnival on November 11th. the police have taken an initial assessment. In Cologne in particular, a number of crimes such as physical injuries and damage to property were recorded. The police took 26 people, mostly drunk, into custody on Saturday. Tens of thousands of party tourists flocked to the city to witness the start of the carnival season. In Düsseldorf, where it happened on November 11th. Although things are traditionally much quieter, the police reported no increased number of operations.
In Cologne, the majority of people celebrated peacefully during the day and followed the rules. From the afternoon onwards, the police were increasingly challenged because there were more and more drunk people. By late Saturday evening, officials had issued 63 expulsions. According to preliminary findings, the police have so far filed 96 criminal complaints, mostly for bodily harm, pickpocketing and sexual offenses. Two suspects were temporarily arrested.
The police operations manager summed up: “For us, the day of the operation is far from over and we will continue to ensure the safety of the celebrants with many emergency services during the night.” He was particularly pleased that things remained quiet around the synagogue in Cologne. “This was a particular concern of mine, along with the safety of all carnival participants.”
On Saturday, Cologne’s mayor Henriette Reker visited Cologne’s largest synagogue, which was located almost directly on the main party mile. “We are of course thinking about the hardship and desperation that our Jewish fellow citizens are experiencing at the moment,” said the non-party politician. “Carnival is now being celebrated here not far from the synagogue. Many people need this time to celebrate. Others cannot suppress the thoughts of Hamas’ violent attacks and the consequences.”
With 1,000 police officers, 180 law enforcement officers and more than 1,000 private security guards, the city of Cologne tried to control the rush on Saturday. The celebrants traveled from all over Germany.
Three Bavarian girls dressed as Hogwarts students, for example, described it as a “unique chance” to be able to experience the hustle and bustle on a weekend. “We are teachers and can never take time off,” explained Svenja (31).
In Düsseldorf, around 5,000 people watched the awakening of Hoppeditz on the town hall square, who this year took a little longer to free himself from his mustard pot. According to a spokesman for the Düsseldorf Carneval Committee, the surrounding streets were also “packed full”.
