Home » News » Hanover/Frankfurt: Hundreds of Putin fans protest, police with a large contingent on site | Regional

Hanover/Frankfurt: Hundreds of Putin fans protest, police with a large contingent on site | Regional

On Sunday, Russians and Putin fans took to the streets in several cities in pro-Russian protests. First, a motorcade started in Hanover: Numerous people gathered under the motto “Against hate speech, bullying and discrimination against the Russian population”. At 1 p.m., a march started on foot in Frankfurt am Main – after a car parade was banned.

Many participants are completely unreflective Putin supporters. Demonstrators in Frankfurt denied the war crimes in Ukraine to the BILD reporter. They were staged by Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers would hide in hospitals. In general, the country belongs to Russia and is not an independent nation. Here, the participants take the Putin lie to rid the neighboring country of Nazis at face value.

More and more people are pouring into the parking lot, now holding placards and flags in the air, protesting against “Russianism”

Photo: Daniel Puskepeleitis

At around 11:30 a.m., 600 participants with a total of 350 vehicles gathered at the meeting point in a parking lot in Linden, Hanover. Long traffic jams formed at the access roads, and more and more vehicles adorned with Russian and German flags were added.

The parking lot is getting full.  In addition to Russian and German flags, Kazakh and Chechen flags can also be seen

The parking lot is getting full. In addition to Russian and German flags, Kazakh and Chechen flags can also be seen

Photo: Jens Scholz

With a large contingent, the police showed a strong presence right from the start, with several hundreds on site. Officials checked the vehicles for illegal symbols, banners and slogans. Because of the high number of participants, the police were looking for alternative areas for the meeting point.

Countless participants are waiting for the start

Countless participants are waiting for the start

Photo: Daniel Puskepeleitis

video-heading">With a pro-Russian march Putin fans deny war crimes

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Source: IMAGE

10.04.2022

The column was originally supposed to start moving at 12:30 p.m. In the city center, however, a sit-in by around 60 people stopped the cars and eggs were thrown. Some of the cars had been diverted, the spokesman said. The parade was therefore “a bit torn apart”, but the situation was clarified without any arguments. Extensive police checks delayed the start. A police spokesman said on Sunday that bonnets should not be covered by openable flags. That is one of the requirements. It was not until 2:20 p.m. that the demonstrators slowly started to roll.

Counter-demonstrators besiege the intersection and have stopped the procession

Counter-demonstrators besiege the intersection and have stopped the procession

Photo: Daniel Puskepeleitis

At 3:15 p.m. there was a stop: around 1,000 of the 3,500 counter-demonstrators blocked the demonstration at the intersection at Friederikenplatz. Police officers tried to separate both groups and redirect the parade, but initially failed. The rear part of the column had to turn back and was sent in other directions.

Again and again the demonstrators sang Ukrainian songs or shouted “Putin is a murderer!” or “Get lost, we don’t want a war!”.

The motorcade cannot avoid this blockade

The motorcade cannot avoid this blockade

Photo: Daniel Puskepeleitis

Only a week earlier, a Russian motorcade with around 400 vehicles on Berlin’s streets caused displeasure, because in addition to the national colors of white, blue and red, some demonstrators also showed the so-called Z symbol. This stands for the support of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.

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Even before the demonstration, Lower Saxony’s Minister of the Interior, Boris Pistorius (SPD), emphasized: “We will not tolerate the Russian war against Ukraine being continued on our streets.”

Pro-Putin-Demo in Stuttgart They danced and sang “Kalinka”

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Those: hahnfotografie.com

10.04.2022

counter-demonstrations

In addition to the planned pro-Russian demonstration, counter-demonstrators are also protesting on Sunday.

Many Ukrainians took to the streets in Frnakfurt

Many Ukrainians took to the streets in Frankfurt

Photo: KAI PFAFFENBACH/REUTERS

Two events, including a vehicle parade by the Hanover Vespa Club and a demonstration by the Friends of Hanover Association, were registered in advance. The motto: “Hanover shows attitude for an immediate end to the war”. Around 4 p.m., 3,500 people were gathered in front of the town hall.

Counter-demonstrators at the Römerberg

Counter-demonstrators at the Römerberg in Frankfurt

Photo: KAI PFAFFENBACH/REUTERS

In Osnabrück, too, people want to take to the streets against racism and nationalism on Sunday.

Demo, but no parade in Frankfurt

Russian flags in front of the Alte Oper in Frankfurt

Russian flags in front of the Alte Oper in Frankfurt

Photo: 5vision.media

In Frankfurt, on the other hand, the city had banned the parade with 700 cars planned for Sunday afternoon (1 p.m.), but the pro-Russian demo (motto: “Against hate speech and discrimination against Russian-speaking fellow citizens/Against war – For peace”) with around 2,000 participants Conditions allowed.

For example, certain symbols and insignia were banned from being worn, including images with the letters “V” and “Z” and the “St George’s ribbon” because they represent the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It was also forbidden to endorse Russian aggression in words and pictures and to denigrate the state of Ukraine, Ukrainian people and victims of the Russian invasion.

Pro-Russia demonstrators in downtown Frankfrut

Pro-Russia demonstrators in downtown Frankfurt

Photo: KAI PFAFFENBACH/REUTERS

At the start there were a few hundred people at Opernplatz, Russian music was playing. Many waved Russian flags or had them tied around their bodies. A few people at the edge of the demonstration carried Ukrainian signs for peace. The police were on site with hundreds of officers and wanted to “closely accompany” the demo (start: Alte Oper). Several groups had called for counter-demos.

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A police spokesman for BILD: “We enable the right to freedom of assembly, but we make sure that no crimes are committed under this guise. We separate the groups in order to proceed in a de-escalating manner. We will act promptly, consistently and proportionately to any pro-war or anti-Ukraine slurs.”

“We don’t want to be afraid”

Shortly after the start, the organizer said: “None of us supports violence and hatred and hatred. Because of what happened, many saw us as aggressors. We don’t want to be afraid and not ashamed that we have Russian blood. Many Russians have been victims of discrimination. For example, some have lost jobs.”

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According to the police, the number of participants in Frankfurt was in the “higher three-digit range.” There were no indications of prohibited license plates. However, the officials received indications that members of Putin’s rocker friends “Night Wolves” were among the participants. Recognizable by cowls, T-shirts, patches. The police wanted to investigate, if necessary determine the personal details of the rockers.

Photo proof: Russian rockers from the “Night Wolves” were also at the demo

Photo proof: Russian rockers from the “Night Wolves” were also at the demo

Photo: Peter Wilke

The Russians’ train to the main cemetery initially ran smoothly. There were only a few arguments with counter-demonstrators and passers-by. When a woman shouted at the Kremlin friends, one of them wearing a Putin sweater, “Where are your peace flags?” They yelled back, “Harassment!”

Compatriots of the Kremlin friends also opposed them: Posters along the route read: “We will not leave Frankfurt to the warmongers”. It was hung by an alliance of democratic parties and Russian anti-Putin groups. Coordinator Dimitrij Peters from the Russian association Peremen FFM: “For us as the Russian opposition, it is important to make it clear that many people who come from Russia do not fall for the Kremlin propaganda and are clearly on the side of the people and the government position in Ukraine.”

At Frankfurt's main cemetery, police officers secured a Soviet flag.  According to the city's conditions, it was not allowed to be shown at the demo

At Frankfurt’s main cemetery, police officers secured a Soviet flag

Photo: Juergen Mahnke

However, the police secured a Soviet flag. Like those of the Russian-occupied “Autonomous Republic of Crimea”, the “Donetsk People’s Republic” and the “Luhansk People’s Republic”, they were not allowed to be shown in the procession.

According to the police, “the display of these flags gives the impression of a ‘triumphal march’ of a nationalistic character, denying the territorial integrity of Ukraine and approving the illegal war of aggression in a way that disturbs public peace.”

Police officers surrounded the attacker, took him to the ground and handcuffed him

Police officers surrounded the attacker, took him to the ground and handcuffed him

Photo: Juergen Mahnke

When the protesters made their way back to the Alte Oper, an argument broke out: a man attacked the train with tear gas, injuring four participants. Among them a 9 year old. The police immediately took him to the ground and handcuffed him.

Towards the end of the march, Putin fans then dropped the peaceful mask. According to the police, “Donbass belongs to Russia” was chanted in Russian, among other things. Thus the initial suspicion of a criminal offense by approving a war of aggression within the meaning of international law was given. The police: “From now on we will be making image and sound recordings for preventive reasons.”

Arrest of a pro-Putin demonstrator at the Russian Consulate General in Frankfurt.  He painted the Russian national colors on his cheek

Arrest of a pro-Putin demonstrator at the Russian Consulate General in Frankfurt. He painted the Russian national colors on his cheek and a portrait of the dictator on his shirt

Photo: Bernd Kammerer

As the demonstration passed the Russian consulate in Oederweg, participants charged at pro-Ukrainian counter-demonstrators. Police officers immediately intervened and arrested an attacker in a Putin shirt.

And after the official end of the demo, a few loyalists to the Kremlin tried their hand at a motorcade. They circled the Opera Square with Russian flags. The police: “We interrupted the onward journey and made it clear in contact with those responsible that a motorcade in Frankfurt today will not be tolerated.”

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