Uncertain police presence St Martin’s Parades in Bonn could be cancelled
Bonn · The police need all available manpower for the Climate Conference and cannot assign any officers to traditional events in Bonn, causing a huge problem for organisers.
What do the St Martin’s Parades have to do with the World Climate Conference taking place at the same time in Bonn? Actually, quite a lot, as the police said on Monday that they need all available manpower for the Climate Conference, making their presence at St Martin’s Parades more difficult if not impossible.
Christoph Schada, who organises the Lengsdorf St Martin’s Parade, is angry. Only the police, and not the fire brigade or private security services, can control traffic. The Lengsdorf St Martin’s Parade may therefore have to be cancelled because the organisers could be made personally liable for any accident.
“We will fight against this with all means at our disposal,” said Schada. It would be excessive to have to cancel a parade at the cost of tradition, custom and not least the children.
Availability of policing will first be clarified in October
At the very least, organisers are faced with great uncertainty. The police are not yet able to say which parades they can and cannot accompany. It will first become clear in October, on which days and to what extent district officers are needed at the Climate Conference.
Beuel’s district mayor, Guido Déus, and Christian Siegberg, head of the Beuel district administration office, are meeting police president Ursula Brohl-Sowa this Thursday, 17 August. “At this meeting, we will clarify, whether and how St Martin’s Parades can take place, if necessary without police security,” said Siegberg on Monday.
Elfi Brach-Stein, a member of the team that organises the Kessenich St Martin’s Parade, was also surprised by the police’s announcement. The St Martin’s Parade has around 2000 participants who cross two major intersections on their way through Kessenich. Previously, two police on motorbikes have always driven ahead to secure Hausdorffstraße and Markusstraße.
No problems in Bad Godesberg
There is no central St Martin’s Parade in Bad Godesberg. The numerous parades are organised by kindergartens, schools and clubs. “We will also manage without police,” said Willi Linden, organiser of the Schweinheim Bachelors’ Club parade. His parade goes mainly along side streets, as does the Rüngsdorf parade.
The city was also surprised by the police’s announcement. Although parades are a church custom and therefore do not need the city’s approval, the districts must be informed about them so they can divert buses. (Orig. text: Sabrina Bauer, Rolf Kleinfeld, Holger Willcke and Richard Bongartz)
