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Cologne Starts 11.11 Carnival Under Tight Security, Transit Changes and Event Bans

Large deployments enforce knife and drone bans to keep dense carnival crowds safe.

Overview

  • More than 1,000 police are on duty from early morning in hotspots such as the Altstadt and Zülpicher/Kwartier Latäng, supported by about 450 municipal officers and roughly 1,200 private security staff.
  • A street-level knife ban is in force with targeted checks, and violations can lead to criminal complaints and fines up to €10,000; realistic weapon replicas are also barred.
  • A city Allgemeinverfügung bans drones from 06:00 to 02:00 in central celebration zones, including carrying them within the restricted areas.
  • KVB operates an adjusted service with possible station closures and reroutes at Heumarkt, Rathaus and Zülpicher Platz; lines 5, 9, 12, 15, 16, 17 and 18 see changes with replacement buses and additional staff deployed.
  • Access to the Kwartier Latäng is controlled with capacity limits and broad glass bans apply, temporary medical centers and first-aid posts are active alongside EDELGARD mobile support, and authorities report no specific threat as sensitive sites such as the nearby synagogue receive special protection.