Date: Thursday, 06 July 2023
Reporter
Dominique Bundt
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Shortly before the start of the Eritrea Festival on the weekend (July 7th-9th) in Giessen, the Administrative Court made a decision: The Eritrea Festival may take place.
The Gießen public order office had originally banned the event and justified this with an inadequate security concept that was not sufficient to avert imminent dangers, especially for festival visitors, but also for the general public. Last year there were riots in connection with the festival by opponents of the Eritrean regime with injuries.
The organizer had defended itself against the ban with an urgent application. Now the decision of the Gießen administrative court: "According to the current status, the festival planned for the coming weekend may take place contrary to the municipal ban." The decision is not yet final.
The city had essentially justified its decisions with the increasing calls against the planned event in social media and the expected willingness to use violence from opponents of the event. There are indications that violent people will come to Gießen again this year. But the organizer can not do anything about it, says the court. "The feared riots are events beyond the applicant's sphere of influence."
In addition, the city gives the city options to counter possible security gaps that do not immediately mean a ban on the event, it is said. Those involved can still appeal the verdict to the Hessian Administrative Court in Kassel.
