BRising mission for the Cologne police: Several thousand people are expected to attend a Ukrainian cultural festival on Sunday (12 p.m.). But at the same time, a pro-Russian motorcade is planned through the city center, which is also supposed to drive past the venue. According to the police, a private person registered 1000 participants with 200 cars under the motto “Peace with Russia”. In contrast, two counter-demonstrations with 50 and 100 participants are planned.
According to the WDR, the private person who registered the car parade is said to be a woman who has already organized several campaigns of this kind for the Russian community. She is said to have recently been fined for endorsing the Russian war of aggression, reports the WDR.
According to the police, strong riot police forces will be deployed to prevent clashes. Police President Falk Schnabel explains why the city of Cologne cannot ban the pro-Russian action as follows: “As far as possible, we have issued conditions that prohibit any approval of this war or the questioning of the state sovereignty of Ukraine”. In the event of violations, the emergency services would intervene “with the necessary sensitivity, but also with the necessary consistency”.
At the Ukrainian culture festival at the Chocolate Museum, exhibitions by Ukrainian artists and a colorful stage program are planned, as announced by the Blue-Yellow Cross Association as organizer. Young people in particular are expected to attend the event. The organizer sees the planned motorcade as a provocation. “Our mostly young people fled from the Russian bombs. Many experienced the attacks and also saw dead people,” Linda May told WDR. Just seeing Russian flags is traumatizing.
#ProRussian #motorcade #drives #Cologne #Ukraine #Day