Revelers enjoy Carnival street parades across Germany

DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of revelers have taken to the streets of Germany to celebrate Carnival dressed up in colorful costumes, amid an abundance of candy, flowers and alcohol. Popular street parades in traditional Carnival strongholds such as Duesseldorf, Cologne and Mainz in the Rhineland drew huge crowds of locals and tourists alike on Monday. Schools remained closed in many regions in the west so children could join the parades. Many of the processions showcased floats that addressed current political topics with biting sarcasm. Themes included the struggle of Iran’s women for more freedom and the war in Ukraine.