In order to prevent an immediate encounter, the officers had to use direct force at various points.
Around 1,200 police officers were on duty, in addition to the Dresden police department, officers from the Saxon riot police, the federal police and police officers from Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Thuringia.
Forgiving words in the morning
“Reconciliation is the foundation of a peace that will last for generations,” said Mayor Dirk Hilbert (FDP) in front of the Frauenkirche. The formed there shortly afterwards traditional human chain. According to the city administration, 10,000 people had come together. At 6 p.m. the human chain, which stretched across two Elbe bridges around part of the city, surrounded the old town. Traditionally, all the church bells in Dresden then rang for ten minutes. They rang again at 9:45 p.m. as a reminder that the first air raid began at this time 78 years ago.
“What we can do here on February 13 is to state clearly how nationalism, imperialism and megalomania will end: in ruins.” The fact that Russia has been brutally attacking Ukraine since February 24, 2022 “in violation of international law affects us and affects us deeply,” said Hilbert. Dresden is an example of how peace and friendship can be re-established, “with respect for the dignity of every human being and by standing up for a democratic and pluralistic society.