Instead of Kamelle and Alaf: Shrove in Cologne turns into a peace demonstration on Monday | Regional

Alaaf and Schunkel had no fever. Today there are peace demonstrations in Shrove Monday and Cologne.

As Putin’s tanks rolled over in Ukraine, Cologne festival artists decided on Thursday to hold a peace demo instead of Shrove Monday’s procession.

“It’s a sign of the unity of the people in Ukraine and a sign of war against war in Europe,” said Holkar Kirch, the leader of the Cologne Shrove Monday procession.

Mayor Henriet Recker (Independent) speaks of a signal “against war in Europe”: “This is not just a festival organized here, it’s the people of Cologne who have not come to the demo for decades.” And: “All: Survivors of war and violence are welcome in Cologne at any time. I have boundless admiration for all the brave Russians who have been taking to the streets of their country since Friday.

Demonstration by Carnival Float titled Ukraine.

“It’s a serious intention,” Kirsch says. “We see the Russian flag carrying the dove of peace. Lots of blood in this cart. Russia does not care about peace, it does not care about Europe, it pursues its own goals, and this car perfectly expresses it.

The peace rally with tens of thousands of participants moves through the city of Cologne from ten o’clock. Along the way political and social critical festival floats were set up.

According to the participants, the mood was low. Just before twelve o’clock, a large number of people – some without costumes, advanced only a few hundred meters in protest.

A song was sung on Chlodwigplatz, written by the mothers of young Ukrainian soldiers and slain freedom fighters in the past. Many knelt during the song.

According to the festival committee, the protest march will have to travel a distance of 4.5 km through the city center. Cologne mayor Henriet Recker (non-party) will speak at a rally in Severinstorb, where the procession usually begins on Monday.

“We can do more than just celebrate the Cologne Carnival. Above all, it fosters unity and community, values ​​like freedom and equality are our greatest asset,” said Christoph Kukelkorn, chairman of the festival committee. A spokesman stressed that there would be no “regular elements” such as floats, carts or camels in the Shroud Monday procession.

The Classic Rose Monday parade was canceled due to a corona infection. As a small alternative, the festival committee actually planned the Shrove Monday festival with a parade at Cologne Grounds. But in the wake of the Russian attack on Ukraine, festival artists decided to cancel the festival on Thursday and organize a peaceful demonstration instead.

Participants must wear masks and the 3G rule – they must be tested, vaccinated or recovered. The city banned heavy trucks from driving through downtown Shrove until midnight on Monday.

The event is sponsored by Cologne artists and associations such as “Arsch Huh” and “Across Köln is stand”.

The Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia Hendrik West (46, CDU) hailed the peace demonstration as “the greatest achievement of an organized festival”. But other groups involved and civil society also played their part, Wüst said. “Two years after the epidemic, the people of Cologne would like to celebrate again, but that’s not possible now. War and festival in Europe do not go together,” West said. He also wanted to take part in the demonstration. “I want to go with you all the way. This is the best way to stay on our feet today, that is, to demonstrate for peace and freedom in Europe.”