Bonners are discussing on the streets and on social media whether this is a serious threat or a joke. Passersby continually stopped in front of the posters on Sunday, which hung at head height on street lamps in Heerstraße and Breite Straße. “It’s a call to celebrate the cherry blossom and not to mess it up,” said a young woman, who was walking with friends through the Old Town. They were also taking photos – in the middle of the street. They and many other cherry blossom fans were disturbed only by cars from near and far winding their way through the clusters of people.

It is clear that there is a particular traffic problem in the Altstadt on cherry blossom weekends. “I don’t understand why the city doesn’t close the narrow streets to through traffic,” said one senior citizen. Those who know Bonn, do not even drive into the Old Town on these days. “But many out of towners get lost here.” This regularly causes arguments and dangerous situations. A motorbike rider revs his engine in annoyance, showing pedestrians his middle finger. A woman gets out of her car and shouts at a man who is not making way for her. She almost slaps him in the face, but then gets behind the wheel again cursing.

“I think the trees are lovely, but when you ring your bell as a cyclist to get through there, you are really yelled at,” writes one user on Facebook. Another does not understand the fuss: “The Old Town is not a private front garden. You can last for 14 days.”

Bonn police said they knew nothing about the poster campaign until Sunday afternoon. After a query from the GA, a patrol car was dispatched to record the facts. The crime commissioner’s office will assess on Monday whether this really is a threat.

(Original text: Nicolas Ottersbach. Translation: kc)