The rush was not only huge in the carnival strongholds on the Rhine: Thousands of people wanted to celebrate carnival again without corona restrictions at the weekend with parades and festivals. In Cologne, on Sunday, for the first time in four years, revelers went through the city center at the “Schull- un Veedelszöch”. Pupils dressed up as full-body iPads promoted more digitization in education, and the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis were also discussed. “Make Alaaf not war” was the motto of one group.
Due to a medical emergency in the audience, the train had to be stopped briefly. Nevertheless, according to train manager Willi Stoffel, everything went according to plan. About 300,000 onlookers came. The traditional parades are considered a dress rehearsal for the famous Shrove Monday parade through the cathedral city.
Thousands of fools also celebrated in Braunschweig: at the “Schoduvel”, according to the organizers the largest carnival parade in the north. There were around 130 elaborately designed floats to admire. The street carnival in Braunschweig had been canceled in the two previous years due to corona. The “Schull- un Veedelszöch” were canceled in 2020 due to a storm, in the following years due to the corona pandemic.
tumult and riots
In some communities there was rioting and rioting at carnival parties. At a carnival party in Menden in Sauerland, for example, the police went out in large numbers on Saturday evening because too many people crowded into the marquee at the same time. According to the police, three people had to be treated for circulatory problems.
A woman was also said to have been sexually assaulted in the queue. The suspect received a eviction. The alleged attack happened when around 1,000 people were waiting to be admitted. The tent was already fully booked, said a police spokesman. Another sexual assault is said to have occurred later. A 32-year-old is said to have “groped” a group of four women. According to the police, he was also sent off.
There were also reports from the Upper Palatinate in Bavaria and from the Emsland of a lot of crowds in front of the already filled ballrooms.
