Court stops rally at Nikolaiort: urgent application in Osnabrück failed

Court stops rally at Nikolaiort: urgent application in Osnabrück failed

In Osnabrück, an urgent application against the relocation of a planned meeting at Nikolaiort was rejected. As [regionalHeute.de](https://regionalheute.de/niedersachsen/eil Petition-gegen-treffensverlegenung-in-osnabrueck-abgelehne-1752059642/) reports, the 5th Chamber of the Administrative Court decided on July 9, 2025 that the city of Osnabrück can move the rally to an alternative location. The applicant had originally scheduled a meeting for July 12th.

The reason for the relocation lies in previous complaints about the noise levels of past events that polluted the public space at Nikolaiort. These problems, as well as the limited space, make Nikolaiort particularly susceptible to noise and disruption. The applicant, who expects between 30 and 50 participants, had also violated noise protection regulations in the past and provoked bystanders.

Transfer decision and legal basis

After a cooperation discussion, the city of Osnabrück offered alternative locations such as the Schlossgarten, the Platz des 17. Juni, the station forecourt and Willy-Brandt-Platz. These places are easily accessible and offer similar opportunities for public access, as the administrative court emphasized in its decision. It was also pointed out that when weighing up fundamental rights, the right to freedom of assembly must always be weighed against the risks to third parties. The court made it clear that the city properly exercised its discretion in selecting the location, which [Niedersächsisches Administrative Court](https://www.verwaltungsgericht-osnabrueck.niedersachsen.de/aktuelles/pressemitrichtenen/eil Petition-against-ortliche-verlegenung-einer-fur-den-nikolaiort-in-osnabruck-am-morzigen-samstag-anemeldeten-trefflos-242895.html) explained in its press release.

The organizer has the right to lodge a complaint with the Higher Administrative Court within two weeks against the current decision. This could lead to further legal review of the transfer decision, which had already failed with a similar application in June.

Impact on future meetings

This decision could set a defining example for future meetings in Osnabrück. The legal framework for such events is also relevant, such as the provisions of the Nds. GVBl. or the current right of assembly established in Article 2 of the Law of May 20, 2019. It contains important regulations on outdoor gatherings, which must take into account the organizers, but also the public interests, as Wolters Kluwer notes.

The situation in Osnabrück shows how important it is to strike a balance between the right to freedom of assembly and the protection of the general public. The administrative court's decision could be important for both the city administration and future event organizers and show how sensitive issues need to be dealt with in public spaces.