Islamic State terror threats overshadow German Carnival

Islamists suspected of belonging to so-called Islamic State (IS) have used social networks to call for attacks — including on Cologne'sCarnival celebration, which kicks off with Fat Thursday (Wieberfastnacht). They named specific locations within Cologne, a city in western Germany with more than 1 million inhabitants.

Police spokespeople say those threats are primarily aimed at unsettling the population. Authorities have also announced, however, that security forces will be even more present than past years, which had already seen boosted numbers.

One of the internet threats specifically refers to the day the street carnival kicks off, reading: "Cologne Carnival February 27 Alter Markt."

The Alter Markt is the hotspot for party-loving carnival-goers.

The entire six-day festival traditionally sees hundreds of thousands of people, many dressed in costumes, celebrating on packed Cologne streets.

In recent years, around 1.5 million people attended Cologne's Rose Monday parade, the largest Carnival parade in Germany.

But many of Germany's cities and villages also hold street parades during the carnival days, with thousands of spectators.

IS signal to supporters

Political scientist and terrorism expert Peter Neumann told DW that such threats should be taken seriously.

"Not because IS is actually planning an attack," he said. Rather, because IS wants to send a signal to its supporters, "who are currently fully mobilized anyway due to the various attack attempts, and those that were carried out."

The secondary goal of such a threat is to make people worried, he said.

"Terrorism is about terror. And that's why it would be a success for the IS if it did manage to paralyze public life with such a message," Neumann said.

The head of Cologne's Carnival period police operations, Martin Lotz, has a similar opinion, telling German Press Agency dpa that the goal of such publicized threats is to unsettle the population.

However, he did say that police are adjusting their operational concept for security during Carnival.

Security sources said the calls for violence were known and taken seriously, according to dpa, but that there was no change in the current assessment of the threat level, which was already considered to be high.

Police spokespersons in the cities of Düsseldorf and Mainz made similar statements.

The week before the online threats emerged, Cologne police had already announced that they were preparing for the Carnival days with a strict security concept.

That was in response to the recent car attack in Munich as well as other recent acts of violence in Germany.

The security situation is "more tense than in previous years," following attacks by radicalized individuals, police said, while announcing that all available forces are on the streets to ensure "the greatest possible security."

Relocations already canceled

After the suspected terrorist attack in Munich, some German municipalities canceled their planned carnival parades.

The towns of Marburg and Kempten, for example, said they were unable to finance the significantly higher security measures.

Police experts are recommending blocking all access roads to planned parade routes with massive barriers or vehicles.

Terrorism expert Neumann says the most important thing right now is to have strong security concepts in place for events. Visitors to such events should also remain vigilant — but they shouldn't "let themselves be driven crazy."

"Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to go to a carnival parade" he said.

This article was originally written in German.

While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter Berlin Briefing.