Legal framework
Anyone who wishes to organize an assembly may, in principle, also determine where it is to take place. Assemblies in the open air require prior notification (Section 10 (1) sentence 1 VersG NRW) to the competent district police authority (Section 32 VersG NRW). This is to enable the police to take the necessary measures to protect the assembly from outside disturbances and to avert possible disturbances caused by the assembly to the other use of the public space (§ 3 para. 1 VersG NRW).
Assembly protection
Democracy can only function if all citizens participate equally in the formation of the will of the people. However, it also follows that opinions have equal rights. Opinions can be neither right nor wrong. Consequently, there can also be no good or bad assemblies.
With regard to the content of an assembly, the state is not only obligated to neutrality, but is in principle even obligated to protect assemblies of any content against disturbances from the outside (cf. § 3 para. 1 VersG NRW). For one of the achievements of the modern constitutional state is in particular the protection of minorities and thus also the protection of minority opinions.
The limit of the state's neutrality requirement basically runs where assembly content violates human dignity or exceeds the threshold of punishability.
Planning and notification of an assembly
Anyone wishing to organize a public assembly in the open air must notify the competent district police authority no later than 48 hours before the invitation to the assembly.
If you wish to organize an assembly with less than 48 hours' notice, you must notify the competent district police authority immediately - if necessary by telephone. You can also obtain advice from this authority about an assembly that is in the planning stage. Only assemblies for spontaneous reasons (spontaneous assemblies) do not require prior notification (see § 10 VersG NRW).
Alternatively, you can give notice in writing or by visiting the responsible district police authority.