In the vicinity of the private house of North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) in Leichlingen, there was a "spontaneous meeting" of unknown rioters on Sunday afternoon. The police announced this at the request of the German Press Agency. According to dpa information, it was a group of 20 to 50 partially masked people who roamed the streets of the 28,000-inhabitant city in the Rhenish-Bergisch district. The rioters set off pyrotechnics and, according to the information, also chanted slogans. The wording of the calls was not understood, said a police spokeswoman. According to Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger and Bild-Zeitung, a projectile was also thrown at the house.
The meeting quickly dissolved.
The police moved out with numerous forces in the afternoon and tried to get an overview of the situation.
A police helicopter also circled over the area until late in the evening.
Witnesses were heard and statements evaluated.
The police searched intensively for the perpetrators of the riot, some of whom are said to have fled to a nearby forest.
A witness reported in the evening that in the city, which lies between Solingen and Leverkusen, some police vehicles were still to be seen.
The area around Reul's private house in the city center was not cordoned off.
There was no visible damage to the building.
According to a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, the police were alerted by residents in the afternoon.
The security authorities could not provide any further details until early in the evening.
At the time of the incident, Reul should not have been home, so that there was no danger for him at any time.
There had already been a demonstration in front of Reuls' private house in Leichlingen last year.
The left alliance "Forum against Police Violence and Repression" protested with around 100 participants at the beginning of August 2020 against the CDU's policy.
According to RP Online, the rally was peaceful at the time.