Demonstration Against Injustice - A swinger club will be transformed into a refugee shelter.
In Hattingen, a city in the southern Ruhr region, a popular swingers' club may shut down and transform into a refugee shelter. This has sparked outrage among regular clubgoers. As of Friday afternoon, approximately 600 individuals have joined a digital petition to save the club. However, a city representative emphasized that the authority has no role in this decision, as the owner is also the property owner. "The city hasn't banned anything. We can't even if we wanted to, as there's a permit for the operation," they clarified.
According to the spokesperson, the owner wishes to sell the property and exit the business. The city is eyeing the property and has already explored it. Additionally, previously, a refugee shelter had been situated on the premises, and it can shelter 60 refugees. At present, refugees in Hattingen are housed in containers.
The swingers' club remains in operation. For a themed event on Friday, the website announced "Sold out." "[The club] has brought various people together and offers a secure space for self-expression and exploration" - reads the online petition, which aims to keep the club intact. The closure would be a significant loss for the community.
It's not that people are anti-refugee shelters, but they assert that another property could be used for this purpose. One person commented, "It's the greatest swingers' club in North Rhine-Westphalia," and another stated, "Tolerance rules here."
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- Despite the potential transformation of the swinger club in Hattingen, a municipality located in North Rhine-Westphalia's Ruhr area, into a refugee home, some municipalities in the region may be open to accommodating refugees in alternative properties.
- The online petition to preserve the swingers' club has gained support from over 600 individuals, highlighting the club's significance as a social hub in the community.
- In response to the proposed conversion of the swingers' club into a refugee accommodation, local residents have expressed their concerns with the potential loss of the club, but they aren't necessarily opposed to refugee shelters; they just wish for another property to be utilized.
- While the municipal authorities in Hattingen have no power to prevent the closure or transformation of the swingers' club, they are exploring the possibility of using the property as a refugee home, given its previous history as a refugee shelter that could accommodate up to 60 refugees.