Aalborg municipality rules that carnival must pay for its own privacy fencing

Aalborg municipality has ruled that Aalborg Carnival must cover the cost of installing fencing along its parade route, after residents were left to pay for barriers themselves this year, according to DR.

When around 80,000 carnival visitors make their way through the streets of Aalborg on Saturday, the fencing that prevents crowds from entering private courtyards and urinating in doorways has been paid for by the residents living along the route. The municipality’s technical and environment committee decided unanimously on Monday that this must not happen again.

“We don’t think it’s reasonable that ordinary citizens should have to pay for an event that takes over the city,” said alderman Peter Lindholt of the Denmark Democrats.

For many years, Aalborg Carnival covered the cost of erecting barriers along the parade route. However, the carnival organisation says the number of housing associations requesting fencing has grown to the point where it can no longer afford to pay for all of it.

The municipality has made clear that the carnival will need to pay for the fencing itself if it wants a permit next year. “Now we’ll have to see what we can agree on,” Lindholt said.

Carnival spokesperson Jeanett Kaare said the organisation looks forward to sitting down with the municipality after this year’s event. “We need to discuss the conditions that should apply to the carnival, and I’m looking forward to that,” she said.

Aalborg Carnival has been held annually since 1983.