Violence in Cologne persisted until 5 a.m., according to the city's police.
In the heart of Cologne, Germany, last week, a peaceful anti-war parade was brutally dispersed during its closing ceremony, sparking outrage and controversy. The Cologne police claimed that the intervention was due to an attack on two officers, but lawyer Anna Busl asserted that the video footage supports a different narrative.
According to reports, the police detained the revolutionary block for eleven hours after an extensive use of batons and pepper spray. A staggering 524 people had their details taken. The Committee for Civil Rights and Democracy criticized the police's intervention as a massive infringement on the freedom of assembly.
The NRW regional group of the Republican Association of Lawyers (RAV) described the police operation at the anti-war camp's closing parade as "plainly anti-democratic." The Committee is particularly critical of the police's actions in the Mechthildisstraße and doubts the alleged attack on the two police "link officers."
The CDU, a conservative political party, requested an urgent debate in the city council, describing the camp as the starting point for criminal acts and violent actions. In the debate, the CDU's motion included a reference to revolutionary, Marxist, and communist groups as "Left-Autonomous."
Locally, the Cologne conservatives are concerned about the future of the Autonomous Center, which is set to move to an alternative location in the Kalk district. Sarah Niknamtavin, a Cologne council member, emphasized the importance of demonstrations for peace, against armament, and against conscription, especially in times of war.
Michael Weisenstein, the Cologne faction leader of the Left Party, sharply criticized the repression against the parade and the conservatives trying to distract from the Cologne police's failure and misconduct. The left faction announced they will continue to pursue this topic in the police committee, a discussion forum with the population.
The majority of the approximately 3000 participants protested peacefully, according to the Cologne police's report. However, people were harassed on their way to the demonstration, there were initial injuries at the Heumarkt, and the police's disproportionate behavior was felt throughout the entire rally.
The incident resulted in 13 officers being injured during the attack on the parade, while independent medics reported 147 injured demonstrators, 18 of whom had to be taken to hospital. There were reported attacks on two liaison officers in the Mechthildisstraße, who were reportedly injured.
Despite the violence, the "Disarm Rheinmetall" alliance plans to repeat the broken-up anti-war parade in Cologne. The name of the lawyer representing one of the organizers of the aborted peace march is not provided in the available information.
The incident has sparked a heated debate in Cologne, with calls for accountability and a commitment to upholding the principles of freedom of assembly and peaceful protest. The city council and the police department will undoubtedly face scrutiny and pressure to address the concerns raised by the public and various organisations.
