Cologne Police set up for "Cologne Lights" and multiple gathering points

The city of Cologne is gearing up for a busy and eventful Saturday, with several significant gatherings and demonstrations scheduled to take place.

On August 30th, the Cologne police are intensively preparing for several larger deployment scenarios in the city area. Chief Police Director Martin Lotz has emphasized a commitment to protecting peaceful assemblies and a zero-tolerance policy for violence or unfriendly actions.

One of the anticipated events is a procession by the "Rheinmetall disarm" alliance, who have announced a protest camp in the Colonius Park from 2:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Another procession under the theme "Anti-war day 2025" has been announced by a private individual, with around 400 participants, starting at the same time and ending at the Chlodwigplatz.

The "Rheinmetall disarm" alliance has also announced a procession from the Heumarkt to the Konrad-Adenauer-Kaserne in the Rodenkirchen district. This procession is expected to be met with several "anti-militaristic" assembly scenarios due to the protest camp in the Colonius Park.

On August 27th, over 70 participants, some masked, blocked the access road to a military base on Brühler Straße. The blockade was dispersed by deployment forces due to the group’s refusal to clear the occupied entrance area and the absence of an identified assembly leader. Temporary bans from the area have been issued to participants of the blockade action on Brühler Straße.

Around 8:30 AM on August 27th, readiness police forces on Swisttalstraße temporarily took into custody four individuals suspected of being on their way to the blockade on Brühler Straße. The four individuals were found in possession of climbing gear and pyrotechnics. After the completion of police measures, the affected individuals were released.

To manage these events, the Cologne police will deploy up to 1,600 police officers on Saturday under the leadership of Chief Police Director Martin Lotz. The Water Police and the State Cavalry Squad will also be deployed.

The Cologne police will inform about current situation developments on their social media channels on Saturday. The city is urging residents and visitors to stay informed and to follow any instructions provided by the police during these events.

The head of the Cologne police responsible for preparing the planned large-scale operations in the Cologne city center is Johannes Hermanns, the Police President of Cologne. The police have initiated targeted criminal proceedings in relation to the blockade action and are urging peaceful and orderly conduct during all scheduled events.

In addition to these events, the "Cologne Lichter" event will also take place simultaneously on August 30th. Visitors are encouraged to enjoy the festivities while remaining aware of their surroundings and following the instructions of the police.