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The North Rhine-Westphalian Higher Administrative Court temporarily lifted a demonstration ban imposed by the state for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

A spokesman for the Ministry of the Interior confirmed a corresponding decision by the Münster court on Thursday.

There was no confirmation from the court itself on New Year's Eve.

The WDR had previously reported.

The state government had in the Corona Protection Ordinance for December 31.

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Demonstrations are strictly prohibited.

Behind this was the concern that registered gatherings could be abused to circumvent the ban on New Year's Eve celebrations.

The judges found this regulation to be unlawful and disproportionate - the authorities could guarantee protection against infection even without the general ban on gatherings.

The police stations in the country were therefore informed about the new legal situation shortly before the turn of the year, confirmed the ministry spokesman.

Should demonstrations be registered at short notice, the police, as the supervisory authority, would monitor them accordingly.

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The police pointed out late in the evening that New Year's Eve parties and crowds were still prohibited.

Violations would be prosecuted.

The court only allowed meetings registered with the police - that is, demonstrations.

The dissolution in Stuttgart caused "loud displeasure"

In Stuttgart, some people demonstrated against the corona policy on New Year's Eve and violated the requirements.

A meeting on Karlsplatz was dissolved because some 100 participants did not keep the minimum distances and ignored the requirement to wear masks, as a police spokeswoman said.

The dissolution caused "loud displeasure", as a reaction a spontaneous meeting with around 100 participants formed.

This was also resolved at Charlottenplatz in consultation with the city of Stuttgart when many participants refused to wear mouth and nose protection.

In the evening, the officials checked participants who stated that they were exempt from wearing a mask with a medical certificate.

Otherwise, there were initially no major incidents, said the spokeswoman.

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Various organizers had registered several actions with 50 to 100 participants each in the city center.

Among other things, it should be about “a New Year's Eve without Corona measures” and “the dying gastronomy”.

The city had allowed the demos because the Corona ordinance of the state of Baden-Württemberg expressly names such gatherings as a so-called valid reason for which an exception to the nightly exit restriction may be made.

In addition to a gathering with around 100 participants at Wilhelmsplatz, around 150 people demonstrated against the corona measures in the palace garden, according to police.

Another demonstration is expected on Karlsplatz late in the evening.

Note: The title of the article was made more concrete with the “ban on demonstration”.

Before it had been called “no assembly”.