Cologne in turmoil: Police ban anti-militarism camp!

Cologne in turmoil: Police ban anti-militarism camp!

Things are simmering in Cologne: On August 12th, the police issued a ban on the planned “Rheinmetall Disarmament” camp, which was scheduled to take place from August 26th to 31st, 2025. This camp, which is part of a nationwide anti-militarist action week, aims to break the social consensus on war and show alternatives to “military normality”. Workshops, discussions and direct actions against defense industry sites were planned, as well as an antimilitarist parade on August 30th at 2:30 p.m. at Heumarkt, as Klasse Gegen Klasse reported.

The police justified the ban by alleging that the participants were “unpeaceful”. One sees the slogan “War on war” as a threat to use “military means” to counter the rearmament. In addition, reference is made to an allegedly increased willingness to use violence, which is said to result from the current negative world situation, according to the information on Rheinmetall Disarmen.

An attack on freedom of assembly

The organizers are outraged by the ban and see it as a clear attack on freedom of assembly. They plan to challenge the ban legally and emphasize the importance of the camp for education and political practice. The expression of militarism – the dominance of military values ​​in society – plays a major role here. This attitude is seen as critical, especially in times when militarization and nationalism seem to be increasing, as can be read on Wikipedia.

To increase resistance, a petition against the ban has been launched to mobilize support. A crowdfunding campaign is also underway to cover the costs of the camp and any legal disputes. “Now more than ever: war against war!” is the motto of the event, the aim of which is to build a broad and powerful anti-militarist movement and to make it clear that such political attacks will not be tolerated.

Solidarity and mobilization

The organizers call on all supporters to show solidarity and invite them to actively participate in the planned actions, especially in the parade on August 30th. Here the protest against war and rearmament should be made loud and visible. The idea behind these actions is to create awareness of the dangers of militarism and to show alternatives to violent conflict resolution.

The situation in Cologne illustrates how important it is today to confront militarism. Experiences so far, from imperial times to current political developments, show that a critical and committed civil society is necessary to keep the military's influence on public life in check. Despite all the challenges, it is still important to create and maintain a space for dialogue and peaceful alternatives.