Greens want to ban »Row Zero« at Rammstein concert

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Till Lindemann, lead singer of Rammstein, at a gig in Frankfurt am Main

Photograph:

Boris Roessler/ DPA

Rammstein continues to be criticized after alleged attacks on young women. In a few days they will play several concerts in Munich. Now the city's Greens are pushing to make the concerts safer under certain conditions. A corresponding draft application for the Munich City Council has been submitted to the »Münchner Abendzeitung«. Today it is to be submitted to the city council.

The motion "Safe Concerts for All" calls on the district administration department (KVR) to examine whether the so-called "Row Zero", a special area in front of the stage, can be banned. From there, mainly female fans are said to have been recruited for after-show parties, where there were assaults. The Greens would also like to have it examined whether, as at the Oktoberfest, the "Safe Wiesn" campaign can set up so-called "safe spaces" at such major concerts in urban areas (such as the Olympic Stadium). In other words, safe places where women in need are helped.

According to the »Münchner Abendzeitung«, the Greens/Pink List were able to win the ÖDP and the Left Party as co-signatories for their application, but not the SPD. Whether the CSU is involved, is still in the vote.

Rammstein has had to put up with serious accusations for days. Singer Till Lindemann in particular has been criticised for allegedly assaulting young, female fans before and after the concerts. The most serious allegations so far: Female Rammstein fans are said to have been secretly drugged at parties around the band's concerts. Some are said to have been sexually harassed in this state.

Women must be "heard and taken seriously"

The band strongly denied the allegations. However, Rammstein has so far failed to answer specific questions about the allegations. From 7 June, the band Rammstein will play four concerts in Munich's Olympic Stadium.

In addition to the ban on "Row Zero", the Munich Greens are also calling for "awareness teams", i.e. specially trained teams that are on the road at concerts and can serve as contact persons for people in need. Such teams already exist in the rave or open-air scene. The use of the "SafeNow" app, where you can send an emergency signal and draw attention to yourself via mobile phone at such events, is also to be examined. For all these measures, the city councils would like to ask the organizers to pay.

The Greens' parliamentary group leader Mona Fuchs points out that neither society nor politics should evaluate criminal acts, "the punishment of which is the sole responsibility of our courts". The presumption of innocence applies to alleged perpetrators, but the accusations of the women concerned must be "heard and taken seriously".

Mrc