A few weeks before the highlight of the carnival season, both the jesters and the police in Saxony feel well prepared. "The police are in close contact with the local authorities and organizers, depending on the local and regional situation," the Saxon Ministry of the Interior said in response to a request. Especially after the attack on the Magdeburg Christmas market, the security concept has become a focal point for many carnival clubs.
According to the President of the Saxon Carnival Association, Jörg Weiser, there may have been minor adjustments to the security concept for individual parades, but security has always been a central issue. Major changes were therefore not necessary. "We don't have huge parades like Cologne, Mainz or Düsseldorf," explained Weiser.
Biggest carnival parade in Radeburg
The biggest carnival parade in Saxony takes place on March 2 in Radeburg (Meißen district). Depending on the weather, between 10,000 and 20,000 people are expected to attend. The safety concept has always been taken seriously in Radeburg, emphasized Kai Drabe, Chairman of the Radeburg Carnival Club. "But it is also utopian to secure a parade in a city area 100 percent." If that were the case, it would no longer be possible to organize a soccer match in Germany where 50,000 fans flock to the streets after the final whistle.
The parade in Leipzig is also scheduled to take place as normal on 2 March. "The Förderkomitee Leipziger Karneval e.V. is in constant contact with the security and event authorities," explained the president of the association, Steffen Hoffmann. For security reasons, however, he could not give any further details. Depending on the weather, around 10,000 visitors are expected to attend the parade again.
Parades are also set to take place in other parts of Saxony - for example in Wittichenau, Bad Schandau and Groitzsch.
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