Overview
- Police described the St. Nicholas eve celebration as peaceful with no notable incidents, noting a brief disturbance involving a TV crew that was quickly resolved.
- The island kept last year’s protection plan in place with a stronger police presence, steward teams along the routes, a dedicated hotline and designated refuge spaces.
- The organizing club had already abolished the practice of striking women with cow horns after nationwide criticism following ARD reporting in 2024.
- Borkum’s mayor reiterated that horn striking was never central to the tradition, while local leaders said organizers acknowledged mistakes and issued an apology.
- Prosecutors in Aurich closed their inquiry in spring 2025 because no alleged victims filed complaints, as the community continues to explain the male-only, largely private rite to outsiders.