On the attempted ban of the Rheinmetall disarmament camp in Cologne

Statement by the Bielefeld regional group of the "Care Revolution" network on the attempted ban of the Rheinmetall disarmament camp in Cologne

The annual "Rheinmetall Disarm" camp in Cologne can take place! The Cologne police had wanted to ban the camp, which takes place from 25 - 31 August, two weeks before the start. On Saturday, 23 August, the OVG Münster has now lifted the ban in summary proceedings. The reason given for the ban was the alleged "unpeacefulness" of the structures organising the camp, with reference to the slogan "War on war" and expected acts of civil disobedience, among other things. These would represent an unreasonable interference with the freedom of individuals, e.g. to get to work, which the Cologne police stylised as a question of "public safety". An assumed "increased willingness to use violence" on the part of the camp participants was attributed to the world situation, which had "changed for the worse". To deduce from this (factually correct) statement that it is necessary to ban a camp that criticises precisely this circumstance with reference to the developments responsible for it can hardly be surpassed in terms of cynicism.

We protest against this official distortion of reality, in which resistance to the preparation of war is glorified as "unpeacefulness" and thus delegitimised. At these camps, attempts have been made for many years to use information, discussions and means of civil disobedience to develop resistance against the increasing militarisation of society, against the logic of war, against the profits of the German arms industry - namely Rheinmetall in Düsseldorf - and the support of its business by lobbyists and leading politicians. In our opinion, this is urgently needed and we regularly support these camps. As a feminist Care Revolution group, the connection between armament and militarisation with the reinforcement of patriarchal structures and the deterioration of social care due to "empty coffers" is particularly important to us!

We welcome the decision of the OVG to stop this attempted attack on the freedom of assembly by the Cologne police, which was already laid out in the tightening of the police laws of various states, including NRW. The ban on the RME camp would have created a precedent for banning gatherings in preparation for civil disobedience, which could subsequently have been applied to protests against fossil fuel industries, mass deportations or even protests against fascist gatherings or even strike support. We are experiencing a social development in which attempts are increasingly being made to delegitimise and push back emancipatory mobilisations and resistance. This cannot leave us unaffected! The judgement of the OVG is at least a stage victory.

With this statement we would like to publicly express our support and solidarity with the "Rheinmetall Disarm" camp!

More on the attempted ban at https://www.nd-aktuell.de/artikel/1193311.rheinmetall-entwaffnen-verbot-von-antimilitaristischem-camp-krieg-ist-frieden.html

or at https://rheinmetallentwaffnen.noblogs.org/