Overview
- Cologne’s assembly authority cited expected “unfriedlich” behavior and the slogan “Krieg dem Krieg” to prohibit the five-day protest camp planned for August 26 to 31.
- Rheinmetall entwaffnen has launched an emergency Eilklage to overturn the ban and is gathering signatures online with support from Die Linke and local politicians.
- City officials are reviewing a ban request for the August 30 “Parade gegen den Krieg,” which is slated to finish at the Bundeswehr’s Konrad-Adenauer-Kaserne.
- A registered procession set for August 28 to march near CEO Armin Papperger’s villa in Meerbusch remains approved but is under route conditions and Staatsschutz scrutiny following the publication of his private address.
- Rheinmetall defended freedom of assembly while condemning pressure tactics targeting private residences, and left-wing lawmakers denounced the camp ban as a serious curtailment of democratic protest rights.