By Timm Reichert MAINZ, Germany, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Wearing no trousers, with his tongue sticking out and dancing with the Statue of Liberty, the figure of U.S. President Donald Trump will feature at
Trump's Trouserless Carnival Float to Dance with Statue of Liberty
Mainz Carnival Celebrations
By Timm Reichert
Featured Political Figures
MAINZ, Germany, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Wearing no trousers, with his tongue sticking out and dancing with the Statue of Liberty, the figure of U.S. President Donald Trump will feature at a German carnival celebration as one of the traditionally satirical and provocative floats.
Security Challenges at Carnival
Organisers showcased the various figures in the city of Mainz in western Germany on Tuesday. They also included Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz in a sinking boat, with his conservative predecessor and erstwhile rival, Angela Merkel, spearing the boat with a trident.
Historical Context of Carnival
Another was of Markus Soeder, the state premier of Bavaria - who frequently posts pictures of meals he eats on social media - sitting on top of a heap of sausages and dried meats, and with a sausage sticking out of his mouth.
The figures will be shown on Rosenmontag (Rose Monday), the peak of the German carnival season, a period characterised by excess ahead of the rigours of Lent, the 40 days of fasting that traditionally precede Easter.
"We have a whole lot of political motifs ... probably the most spectacular one is Donald Trump dancing with the Statue of Liberty," said Michael Bonewitz, a spokesperson for the Mainz Carnival Association (MCV), which traces its roots back to 1838.
Trump is shown with the word 'ICE' written on his right buttock, a reference to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that is currently carrying out a controversial crackdown in the United States.
Last year's Carnival celebrations were overshadowed in Germany by a deadly car-ramming.
"Of course, this is always a challenge, and the challenge is constantly growing because security requirements are becoming increasingly stringent," said Bonewitz.
"But you have to acknowledge that there will certainly be a limit; you can't protect yourself against everything."
(Writing by Matthias Williams, Editing by Friederike Heine, William Maclean)
