Fresh Terrorist Threats and Recent Attacks Prompt Increased Security Around German Carnivals
On 27 February, thousands of people helped kick off carnival festivities throughout Germany. But authorities are keeping a close eye on the party after picking up on terrorist threats issued by the Islamic State (IS).
The festivals each usually host tens of thousands of people for six days of drinking, dancing, and celebration. Germany’s western city of Cologne boasts the nation’s largest carnival, with many attendees arriving in costumes to pack the streets for Fat Thursday (Wieberfastnacht).
“In recent years, around 1.5 million people attended Cologne’s Rose Monday parade, the largest carnival parade in Germany,” Deutsche Welle (DW) reported. Other German cities and towns also have street parades and events that draw in thousands of spectators and participants.
However, members of the Islamic State used social networks to call for attacks against popular carnival sites in Cologne. Although authorities have said that the threats are meant to scare the population—with Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office announcing that none of the threats were especially credible with no indications of a concrete planned attack—they did also announce adjustments to security measures around the carnivals.
With attacks in recent months occurring in other German cities—including Solingen, Aschaffenburg, and Munich—law enforcement throughout the state of North Rhine-Westphalia increased security for the events. Both Cologne and Düsseldorf are in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Police in Cologne announced that they were deploying more than 1,500 officers, 300 public order employees, and 1,200 private security staff to support surveillance and security measures, according to DW. Other solutions included barriers to prevent car-ramming attacks, bag searches, and knife checks.
In Düsseldorf, a police spokesman said that there would also be an increased police presence, larger than what has been seen for previous carnivals. Roughly 9,900 officers are on duty on Thursday, said State Interior Minister Herbert Reul.
Although the threats are being taken seriously, the terrorist threats aim to discourage the populace and make them worried, according to Peter Neumann, a political scientist and terrorism expert that spoke with DW. “It would be a success for the IS it if did manage to paralyze public life with such a message,” Neumann said.
Authorities are encouraging people to join in on the fun and not cave in to intimidation, according to Yahoo News.
However, at least some cities or towns have canceled their normal festivities, citing expenses behind additional security measures. Munich canceled the events for 27 February, 2 March, and 4 March after a car attack on 13 February resulted in two deaths and injuries to at least 26 people, including children.
