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Cologne (dpa / lnw) - NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet (CDU) justified the massive police presence on New Year's Eve and condemned threats against police officers.
4800 police officers are deployed nationwide on New Year's Eve.
“That is the largest number of police forces that we have ever called up in North Rhine-Westphalia on such a New Year's Eve.
They should prevent demonstrations that are not allowed, they should prevent someone from violating Corona requirements, and they should also otherwise ensure safety, "said Laschet on New Year's Eve in Cologne.
"There have been threats against police officers in the last few days - especially for tonight," he said.
That's why he wanted to give the police officers special backing for their use on New Year's Eve.
Especially in Hagen, police known intensive offenders threatened not to adhere to the ban on firecrackers in public places.
Even massive attacks on police officers had been announced, Police Director Hubert Luhmann had told the "Westfalenpost".
"These are adolescents and young adults who have already been noticed by acts of violence - including on New Year's Eve."