A carnival float depicts US President Donald Trump holding hands with Iran's President Hassan Rohani during the traditional carnival parade in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. The foolish street spectacles in the carnival centers of Duesseldorf, Mainz and Cologne, watched by hundreds of thousands of people, are the highlights in Germany's carnival season on Rosemonday. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
The Associated Press
BERLIN (AP) - Biting commentary on racism in Germany featured prominently Monday among Carnival floats in western cities, hastily put together in the aftermath of a deadly far-right attack last week near Frankfurt.
The floats for parades in Cologne, Duesseldorf, Mainz and elsewhere are notorious for their no-holds-barred satire, and also took aim at Brexit, the potential candidates to take over leadership of Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party, and U.S. President Donald Trump. One even featured a clown-like figure labeled 'œCarnival-Virus'ť thumbing its nose at an evil looking 'œCorona-Virus'ť creature.
Last Wednesday, a 43-year-old German man who had posted a racist screed online advocating genocide gunned down nine people of foreign background in the Frankfurt suburb of Hanau, before apparently killing himself and his mother.
It was the latest in a string of far-right attacks in Germany and many have pointed the finger at the Alternative for Germany party, suggesting its nationalist anti-migrant rhetoric has helped create the climate for violence.
One Duesseldorf float depicted a red-faced man yelling in rage, a pistol protruding from his mouth with the word 'œracism'ť on the barrel. On the side was the slogan 'œfrom words come deeds'ť and a list of the attacks, including Hanau.
In Cologne, a somber float depicted a weeping Carnival jester holding a heart with the slogan 'œour heart beats for Hanau.'ť
Another Duesseldorf float featured Alternative for Germany regional leader Bjoern Hoecke, who called Berlin's memorial to the victims of the Nazi Holocaust a 'œmonument of shame,'ť giving a Nazi salute, with his outstretched arm being held up by figures from Merkel's CDU party and the pro-business FDP.
A carnival float depicts a carnival virus laughing at a corona virus during the traditional carnival parade in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. The foolish street spectacles in the carnival centers of Duesseldorf, Mainz and Cologne, watched by hundreds of thousands of people, are the highlights in Germany's carnival season on Rosemonday. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
The Associated Press
A carnival float featured Alternative for Germany regional leader Bjoern Hoecke, who called Berlin's memorial to the victims of the Nazi Holocaust a 'monument of shame,' giving a Nazi salute, with his outstretched stiff arm being held up by figures from Merkel's CDU party and the pro-business FDP at the traditional carnival parade in Duesseldorf, Germany, Monday, Feb 24, 2020. The foolish street spectacles in the carnival centers of Duesseldorf, Mainz and Cologne, watched by hundreds of thousands of people, are the highlights in Germany's carnival season on Rosemonday. (Federico Gambarini/dpa via AP)
The Associated Press
Start driver Peter Zuber rides on the Schiltach during the Da-Bach-na ride as part of the carnival in Rottweil, Germany, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. 40 participants drove with their 'Zuberboote' on the 400 meter long course. (Patrick Seeger/dpa via AP)
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A carnival float depicts a burning kangaroo, reading 'Australia is everywhere' during the traditional carnival parade in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. The foolish street spectacles in the carnival centers of Duesseldorf, Mainz and Cologne, watched by hundreds of thousands of people, are the highlights in Germany's carnival season on Rosemonday. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
The Associated Press
A carnival float depicts the 250th birthday of composer Ludwig van Beethoven during the traditional carnival parade in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. The foolish street spectacles in the carnival centers of Duesseldorf, Mainz and Cologne, watched by hundreds of thousands of people, are the highlights in Germany's carnival season on Rosemonday. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
The Associated Press
A figure depicting US President Donald Trump as Emperor Nero is part of the traditional carnival parade in Mainz, Germany Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
The Associated Press