Stuttgart: Protest against Good Friday dance ban
People in the German city of Stuttgart gathered to protest laws that ban dancing on Good Friday in Germany. Good Friday is a so-called "silent holiday" in Germany, as it is a day of mourning for Jesus' death.
'I dance when I want'
As Good Friday rolled around for another year, the debate over Germany's decades-long ban on dancing in public again came to the forefront. People in Stuttgart met at Karlsplatz to express their discontent with the ban.
'No dance is illegal'
In 12 out of the 16 states in Germany, it is illegal to dance in public for the full day, the four others have a partial ban during the day. Berlin — Germany's clubbing capital — has a ban from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. Those that break the law can be fined hundreds of euros.
A day of mourning
The dancing ban was put in place due to the religious significance of Good Friday and Easter Saturday, which for Christians are days of mourning for Jesus' death.
Separation of church and dance
But people who speak out against the ban feel that the law impinges on their right to dance when and where they want. They say the church and activities such as clubbing should be kept separate.
Waiting for change
Despite the laws for some states having become more relaxed, for now, the ban on dancing in public looks set to stay in place. If the people of Stuttgart really want to dance, it will have to be at protests like these rather than their favorite nightclubs.