Police pledge tightened security measures for Germany's carnival season

Local Germany

26-02-2025

Carnival season is one of the most joyful times of year in Germany, where revellers take to the streets in technicolour costumes and huge parades take place on Rosenmontag in cities like Cologne and Düsseldorf.
This year, however, the celebrations will be held under the shadow of a spate of recent attacks in Munich, Mannheim, Solingen, Magdeburg and Aschaffenburg.
Earlier this month, a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker rammed a car into a union demonstration in Munich, killing a 37-year-old woman and her two-year-old child. In Aschaffenburg in January, a horrific attack on a nursery school also led to the death of a two-year-old child, along with a 41-year-old man who had tried to protect the children.
In both cases, terrorist motives are suspected.
As the last touches are being made to the parade floats and costumes, the police are also stepping up security for this year's celebrations. Along with extensive weapon and glass bans in central areas, cities and towns hosting carnivals will also see a greater number of police and other security personnel at street parties and other public gatherings.
Cologne
According to police operations chief Martin Lotz, the security concept in Cologne has been checked over and tightened in the wake of the recent terror attacks, and police officers have been given updated briefs.
Though the situation remains "tense", Lotz emphasised that 1,500 officers would be on the streets throughout the six-day festival. Previously, Cologne police spokesperson Sascha Wallmeroth had pledged that police would have a "massive presence" at the carnival and would intervene for even minor incidents.
Since the 11th of November, when carnival officially kicked off last year, a large section of the city has been subject to a weapons ban, including knives. Police will be permitted to stop and search people at random in these zones, without needing a reason for suspicion.
In addition, from the start of Weibernacht on Thursday, February 27th, many parts of the city centre will be turned into a "high security area". This will primarily affect the many party area in Zülpicher Viertel. A further focus will be on protecting Cologne Synagogue, following a spike in anti-Semitic crimes.
Speaking to WDR, carnival organisers also revealed that they were spending huge sums of money of security staff and paramedics this year. The festival committee has apparently spent €3.5 million on the Rosenmontag parade alone and has estimated €80,000 in additional costs if it runs over by even an hour.
Once again, a ban on carrying or selling glass bottles will apply to the main carnival areas in the Old Town, in the Kwartier Latäng between Aachener Straße and Luxemburger Straße and around the Severinstorburg.
Düsseldorf
In the North Rhine-Westphalian capital of Düsseldorf, where around one million carnival revellers are expected, authorities have announced that the security concept has also been revised and tightened up.
Extra mobile barriers will be erected in the main public areas and along the parade route, and the police are set to deploy drones and other video surveillance tools.
In addition, thousands of police officers will be on patrol in the city centre and the Altstadt from Altweiber on February 27th to Rosenmontag on March 3rd, with Düsseldorf police supported by officers from Essen, Duisburg und Münster.
As in Cologne, an extensive weapon and glass ban will be in place in the city centre, with checkpoints at all 16 of the entryways to the Altstadt. Police will also be supported in their work by more than 200 officials from the Ordnungsamt, who will check compliance with the safety rules.
Speaking to T-Online, Police Director Thorsten Fleiß appealed directly to people not to bring knives, weapons and weapon-like items to the carnival in the first place, "so that we don't have to deal with them in these difficult times".
This year, additional protection will also be provided for residents in the Carlstadt neighbourhood. The Am Horionplatz/Neusser Straße thoroughfare will only be accessible with a special transit permit, which should have already been received by residents.
Other carnival cities
At smaller carnival celebrations around Germany, police and festival organisers have also been adjusting their security concepts. In many cases, glass bans are in place, extra security personnel and police are on duty, and key access points to parades and other party areas are being cordoned off.
"As in previous years, there are already good and established security concepts in place, which are reviewed selectively based on the current security and local situation," a spokesperson for the city of Bonn told WDR. However, police and other authorities are in close contact "so that any necessary adjustments can be made at short notice".
According to Frank Prömpeler, President of the Aachen Carnival Festival Committee, new security measures are under review but a decision has already been made to block off more side streets leading to the Rose Monday parade route. Eighteen of these blockades are currently in place.
In Münster, carnival organisers responded to the Christmas market attack in Magdeburg by increasing the number of access barriers planned at the event. Instead of the 40 so-called anti-terror barriers that were set up in 2024, there will be 63 this year. In some cases, tour buses will be used as anti-terror blockades.
Should people be worried about terror attacks this year?
Despite the understandable anxieties, the Cologne Carnival Committee has stressed that there is little reason to worry when attending the celebrations.
"We are monitoring the situation very closely together with the security authorities, but do not currently see any drastic change in the security situation for the Cologne Rose Monday parade," the organisers said in a statement.
On Tuesday, German tabloid Bild published a screenshot taken from an IS propaganda site, which listed Cologne Weibernacht as one of a list of potential attack targets.
Al-Saif Media (Unofficial #IslamicState) releases threatening poster: "Choose Your Next Target!". Upcoming #European events are named as potential #attack sites — from #Cologne Carnival to #Rotterdam 's Festival der Liebe. #ISIS #Jihadist #Propaganda
Read more:… pic.twitter.com/1WW9NPFBAj
— TRACTerrorism (@TracTerrorism) February 24, 2025
However, security circles in North Rhine-Westphalia told the regional Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger newspaper, that the posts were "deliberate scaremongering" and there had been no concrete evidence of a potential attack.
This was echoed by Cologne police chief Lotz, who said IS were simply aiming to unsettle the population.
Meanwhile, NRW interior minister Herbert Reul (CDU) urged people to go out and enjoy the carnival season without worrying.
"Make sure you go out and celebrate in a relaxed manner," Reul said. "We mustn't let the people who threaten our society ruin our lives. That would be the greatest success they could have."
With intensive preparations and security measures in place, authorities are convinced that this year's carnival season is set to be the joyful celebration it always is.