People in Germany have been warned to stay away from their windows and to refrain from waving during Barack Obama’s visit later this month.
Along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the US President will be in Germany to open Hannover Messe, the world’s largest trade show for industrial technology, at a ceremony on the evening of 24 April at the Hannover Congress Centrum (HCC).
But according to the Hannoversche Allegemeine (Haz) local newspaper, residents in the Zoo area of Hannover, have been warned against waving from their home windows as the two heads of state enter and leave the venue because it could put them at risk of a police check, according to The Local.
The US has teamed up with Hannover Messe, open to the public from 25 to 29 April, as a partner country for 2016.
Local residents will face a number of limitations on the weekend of 23 and 24 April as the area around the HCC will be set up as a security zone. Those who wish to pass through the two access roads may have to undergo vehicle checks and carry a passport with them.
And any guests who decide to turn up unexpectedly that weekend could be turned away as residents have been asked to register visitors at the police station by 17 April, according to the Haz newspaper.
According to The Local, flyers issued by local police read: “Please understand that security forces operate under special alert during the visit of the US president.”
Mr Obama’s visit to Germany will be his fifth, but his attendance to the trade show will be the first for a sitting president.
The White House said the visit “presents [a] unique opportunity to showcase American innovation and ingenuity and to highlight the United States as a prime investment destination”.
Dr Jochen Kockler, one of the event’s organisers, said: “President Obama’s participation sends a special signal about Hannover Messe’s international appeal. And the timing is perfect: in the midst of its [reindustrialisation] the US has become a very attractive business partner for industry.”
During his visit, Mr Obama will also discuss the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. But before landing in Germany, the President will visit Saudi Arabia and the UK.
