The organisers of this year’s carnival procession in Maastricht have urged party-goers not to dress up as terrorists or jihadis.
Anyone in a costume which could be taken for a terrorist or IS supporter will be removed from the event, the organisers told local broadcaster 1Limburg. Cowboys with toy guns are also not welcome because they could be mistaken for the real thing, the organisers said.
Similar calls have been made in parts of Germany where carnival is celebrated.
South
Carnival, or Carnaval in Dutch, takes place from February 7 to 9 this year and is mainly celebrated in the Catholic south of the country.
The roots of Carnaval stem from the Catholic period preceding Lent, the ‘feast’ before the ‘fast’. The festivities – complete with lavishly decorated floats, oompah-oompah music and lots of beer – continue until Tuesday night.