“Rhein in Flammen” Police to show more presence
Bonn · Safety and security will be at the top of the list for this year’s big event. Planning transportation in advance is also crucial.
Fireworks willlight up the night sky over the Rhine River next weekend during the30th annual “Rhein in Flammen” (Rhine in flames). More than 80,000visitors are expected in the Rheinaue on Saturday, May 7 for thepopular Bonn event.
Security will be a major theme this year aspolice want to prevent any situation similar to what happened onNew Year’s Eve in Cologne. During Carneval festivities in Bonn,they used a new security concept which will also be in force nextweekend. “The safety and security of all visitors is our toppriority, also for immigrants who are at the event for the firsttime,” commented Police superintendent Helmut Pfau.
Police willshow a greater presence this year, making themselves readilyavailable and clamping down quickly on any persons or groupscausing disturbances. More plain clothes officers will also be outand about and police will rely more heavily on video cameras aswell.
More than 500 personnel will be distributed throughout theevent area, including fire department, paramedics, and othersupport organizations. Heiko Baumann from the City of Bonnrecommends visitors leave their cars at home, but adds, “If nearly90,000 people all came on their bikes, we would also have aproblem.”
Best would be if people use a variety of transportation,relying heavily on public transport, their own two feet orbicycles. To make public transport more attractive, SWB will offera special ticket price: a group of 5 persons can travel on oneticket there and back again for 12.90 euro. Ask for the “Tagesticket Bonn”. A special schedule for bus and trams can befound online at: www.swb-busundbahn.de As in previous years, policeexpect certain areas to be clogged. All the Bonn Rheinaue exitswill be full. From 2 p.m., exits from the Südbrucke will be closedin both directions.
Franz-Josef-Strauß-Straße, Petra-Kelly-Straße,and Ludwig-Erhard-Allee will be closed between Sträßchensweg andHeinemannstraße. Entrances to Joseph-Schumpeter-Allee,Landgrabenweg, Heinrich-Konen-Straße, Königswinterer Straße,Konrad-Zuse Platz, Karl-Duwe-Straße and Oberkasseler Ufer will alsobe blocked. For these streets, residents need special permission toenter and should have received a letter from the city about it.Entrances to Kalkuhlstraße, Jakobstraße and Kastellstraße will alsobe temporarily closed. Residents do not need a special permission,however to enter these streets. Police have set up a hotline forBonn residents during the event on May 7, from 10 a.m. until theclose: (0228) 15 30. (Orig. text: Leif Kubik)
