DISINFO: New Year fireworks cancelled because of migrants
SUMMARY
In Paris, Brussels and other European cities, the fireworks on New Year’ Eve were cancelled. The Christmas tree is banned in many places, as well as bell ringing. On the one hand, it is European multiculturalism and tolerance that have gained strength. People are ready to sacrifice their traditional values and refuse to erect Christmas trees and other attributes of Christmas and New Year for migrants. They even try to avoid to speaking about these concepts themselves.
RESPONSE
Recurring disinformation narratives about the decline of Christianity in Europe as well as Christmas and New Years Eve traditions. This article also contains a popular anti-migrant narrative. Similar cases are: "Sweden cancelled Christmas TV concert not to irritate migrants", "France is banning Christmas symbols", or "In order not to aggravate people of other religions, there was no Christmas tree in Brussels". Regarding the use of fireworks, some European cities, such as Munich, have banned fireworks in some public areas of the city for safety reasons, rather than anything to do with migrants. In addition, the state-funded environmental watchdog Environment Action Germany (DUH) is calling on cities to consider banning members of the public from setting off their own pyrotechnics in areas struggling to meet air quality guidelines. The DUH also called for an outright ban on "archaic" fireworks and crackers using black powder (gunpowder), rather than a cleaner substitute. They also claimed that almost 60 percent of Germans are in favour of a general ban on firecrackers in densely populated cities. Regarding the cities specifically mentioned in the article, Brussels and Paris, 2019 New Year's Eve celebratory fireworks went ahead as per normal. Firework displays were cancelled in 2015, in both Brussels and Paris, due to a terrorist threat and in the wake of the November 13th 2019 attacks in Paris.