Though the Swiss government has banned major events because of the coronavirus, several hundred people met in Basel on Monday morning to mark – and mourn – the cancelled carnival.
However, only a few of them wore costumes. Numerous people, many with candles, gathered at the market square. When the town hall bell rang at 4am, they cheered. Police marked their presence but did not intervene – even when a four-piece band marched past the police station.
On Friday, the Federal Council had banned all events with 1,000 or more people until March 15, including the Basel carnival.
