Pepper spray to hand, the women of Cologne party on in defiance
German city which saw rash of New Year’s Eve sex attacks doubles police presence for its carnival
THEY came dressed defiantly in miniskirts and micro-shorts despite the rain and freezing winds, but for thousands of women taking to the streets of Cologne for the city’s carnival there was no escaping a new sense of trepidation.
Antoine Even, a 20-year-old business student, joined the legions of dogs and Darth Vaders, crocodiles and cowboys, bumble-bees and bunny rabbits, but just a month after the Cologne sex attacks, she could not completely forget her concerns.
“We have our pepper sprays,” said Miss Even, patting a bag around her waist. “Our parents didn’t really want us to come but we decided that we’re not going to be afraid, we’re going to party – otherwise they just win.” Aided by copious quantities of beer and bratwurst, it would be wrong to say the carnival spirit had died this year in one of Germany’s most progressive cities, but equally it was true that for many people, something felt different.
Perhaps it was the police presence along the cobbled streets around Cologne’s cathedral, the most visible reminder of the assaults and robberies against scores of women at the New Year’s Eve celebration. That, and the threat of terrorism after the Paris attacks combined to provide an unavoidably tense backdrop to this year’s event.
“A lot of people are afraid, but we are doing everything we can to make them feel safe,” said Wolfgang Baldes, a police spokesman, confirming that officer numbers had doubled from last year to 2,000, many of them in riot gear.
Before the event, police distributed flyers on social etiquette, explaining the practice of “Butzen” where carnival-goers plant kisses on each others’ cheeks, and explaining “women and men must not always consent to the ‘butzen.’ No means no!” After the opening night police reported 190 arrests, including 22 sexual assaults in a crowd that was overwhelmingly white – there were no reports of gangs operating.
But after a grim year both for Europe and Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, there was inevitably talk of politics at the beer-stalls. After Mrs Merkel threw open the gates last autumn, Germany has accepted more than a million migrants, straining public services and provoking fierce criticism. Despite the sex attacks, many of the festival-goers still voiced support in principle for tak- ing in refugees, but pointed to the urgent need to take control. “Germany must help these people, but we must do more to integrate them,” said Katrin Burkatzki, a 53-year-old web designer.
Since the national mood soured on refugees, Mrs Merkel has pressed for laws to make it easier to deport criminals and economic migrants and harder for refugees to bring their families, as well as limiting the attraction of welfare by offering vouchers, not cash.
“Europe has changed. This is a dangerous time,” said Mrs Burkatzki, noting the rise of the far-Right Alternative for Germany party to 12 per cent in the polls. “The politicians must act to take away their arguments or they will get bigger.”
On the streets, Mrs Merkel attracts criticism, but her position is shored up by the lack of a challenger in her own party and the sense that her opponents on the centre-Left are no betterequipped to deal with the challenges.
Still, patience is wearing thin, even in liberal Cologne. “We have to set limits,” said Walter Husges, a retired man out with his wife, Vera. Despite the sex attacks, it was harder to find a young per- son prepared to condemn Mrs Merkel, with many citing Germany’s “historic responsibilities”, and their experience growing up in multicultural Germany.
Germans also recognise that Mrs Merkel is not entirely to blame and are angry at the refusal of other countries – including Britain – to share the burden, according to 52-year-old Helen Hofmann, a university administrator.
“Most Germans want a constructive solution. But we need our European partners and it is the egotisms of some national governments which make Europe vulnerable,” she said.