Germany's biggest Carnival parade kicks off in Cologne
Germany's largest Carnival parade on Shrove Monday, known in Germany as Rose Monday, kicked off in the western German city of Cologne on Monday morning.
This year's festivities come amid a tense security situation following a string of deadly attacks in recent months, but Cologne police president Johannes Hermanns told dpa ahead of the parade that he wasn't worried.
Police would ensure a peaceful celebration with many colleagues on duty, he said.
Despite a recent call for attacks on social media, the police chief said the authorities considered this to be scaremongering.
Police have adjusted their security plans, with a significant number of officers present in the city, and all possible measures have been taken to ensure safety, Hermanns said.
Marc Michelske, head of Cologne's Shrove Monday parade, also said he felt "very relaxed," adding that it was important to show resilience against intimidation.
Carnival celebrations in Germany kicked off on Thursday as huge costumed crowds began cutting loose amid tightened security, especially in the twin Carnival capitals of Cologne and Dusseldorf.
Parties and parades continued through the weekend, culminating in the Shrove Monday parades before festivities come to an end on Ash Wednesday, which in the Christian calendar marks the beginning of the Lenten season of prayer, fasting and atonement.
The parade in Cologne covers a distance of 8.5 kilometres, with about 12,500 participants distributing about 300 tons of sweets to costumed revellers lining the route.
The festivities kicked off to bright sunshine, with satirical carnival floats depicting US President Donald Trump putting a leash on democracy and the rule of law, and Elon Musk on a seesaw with German far-right leader Alice Weidel.
In the south-western city of Mainz, another Carnival stronghold, the Shrove Monday parade set off with hundreds of thousands expected to line the 7.2-kilometre route through the city centre.
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