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Cologne Finalizes 11.11 Carnival Safety Plan With Drone Ban and Knife Checks

Officials report no specific threat indicators, focusing on preventive controls.

Overview

  • Police will deploy more than 1,000 officers across key zones including the Altstadt and the Zülpicher/Ring areas, with a central command at Stadthaus Deutz coordinating police, fire, rescue, waste and transport services.
  • A strict knife and weapons prohibition will be enforced with targeted person and bag checks, with violations risking criminal charges and fines up to €10,000; realistic-looking replicas are discouraged.
  • The city has issued a drone ban for downtown celebration hotspots from 06:00 to 02:00, covering areas such as Altstadt-Nord, Südstadt and the Zülpicher quarter.
  • KVB will run adjusted service: Heumarkt may be closed to boarding, Line 5 skips Rathaus from 07:00, Lines 9, 12 and 15 are rerouted at Zülpicher Platz, Line 16 is shortened, Line 17 is suspended, and replacement buses with over 250 staff will manage passenger flows.
  • Kwartier Latäng will use access controls with capacity limits plus a glass ban roughly 08:00–22:00; on-site support includes a youth office help center (09:00–23:00), multiple medical posts and the EDELGARD mobile assistance project.