A sunny spring day, a mild May evening, more and more people are forced to go outside – for example to have a beer after work or to enjoy the last rays of sunshine. In Würzburg, the banks of the Main are known to be a popular and lively meeting place. But now, in times of the corona pandemic, such images are causing a stir: media reports described larger groups of people who met in the evening on the banks of the Main in Würzburg – sometimes just for a drink in the open, but sometimes also to celebrate with loud music.
Appeal to the common sense of the Würzburgers
The city is aware of the situation, especially along the Mainkai: traditionally, many Würzburgers meet here in the evening hours. So now, in warm weather – despite the pandemic. At the weekend, the weather should be warm in summer. That is why the city of Würzburg and the police appeal to reason, especially the younger Würzburgers. The police have planned regular controls over the weekend, but “proportionality” should be maintained. According to their own statements, the police and the city want to proceed with “sensitivity”.
Würzburg’s Lord Mayor Christian Schuchardt (CDU) says: Where people are not understanding, there will of course be consequences. Stricter controls are planned, but “an urban society can only be successful if it acts in solidarity,” said Schuchardt.
Police rely on de-escalation
Matthias Weber, managing director of the Würzburg-Stadt police station, described a de-escalating strategy of the police in dealing with the celebrants on the Main: “It is not intended that the police jump out from behind every bush.” Violations would be punished, but the officials want to be careful to seek dialogue. “I don’t think you can get that regulated through repression,” said Weber.
Controls and alcohol bans only had a limited effect
From the point of view of Mayor Schuchardt and local authority officer Wolfgang Kleiner, however, increased control pressure only helps to a limited extent. Schuchardt fears that the partiers will then simply look for another place – the stairs at the Old Harbor, for example, or the Ringpark, or in the worst case, their own four walls. “Then we have them in the party room, where the infections take place in the closed room,” said Schuchardt. From Wolfgang Kleiner’s point of view, a nationwide ban on alcohol is not a sustainable solution either: “Then just go to your apartment.” Nevertheless, Kleiner said the public order office would not look the other way “at any point”.
According to its own information, the city of Würzburg has punished around 3,500 administrative offenses due to corona violations in the past few months. In most cases because of missing masks.
Hope for easing in Corona times
But no matter how the weekend goes, the warmer days have only just begun. So long-term ideas are also required. Many larger festivals, such as Oktoberfest, have already been canceled in 2021 due to Corona. But: Corona relief is planned in Bavaria in the next few days and weeks, for example for outdoor catering.
Christian Schuchardt welcomes controlled offers for outdoor meetings. It is much better when people sit in a controlled manner in beer gardens than when they meet uncontrollably on the banks of the Main in Würzburg. “Better to be sorted and tested than simply to have ‘wild growth’ untested,” says Schuchardt. Therefore, the city is currently working on a replacement offer in the Talavera area, which should be implemented in the next few weeks. According to Schuchardt, there will also be a similar offer for controlled outdoor meetings on the new state horticultural show site.
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