Love Parade disaster
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
Location of Duisburg in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany | |
| Date | 24 July 2010 |
|---|---|
| Location | Duisburg, Germany |
| Deaths | 19 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 342 |
On 24 July 2010, 19 people were killed during a human crush in Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, at the Love Parade 2010 electronic music festival with the slogan "The Art of Love". At least another 342 people were injured.[1][2][3]
The Love Parade was a popular and free access electronic dance music festival and parade that originated in 1989 in Berlin. The parade features stages, but is well known for its floats with music, DJs and dancers moving through the audience. This was the first edition of the festival that was organised in a closed-off festival area.[citation needed] Up to 1.4 million people were reported to be attending the event and 1,200 police were on hand.[4]
The event was one of the program elements of RUHR.2010, whereby cultural events in the Ruhr area are highlighted, because the Ruhr is this year's European Capital of Culture.[5]
Incident
The event was staged in an old industrial railway station. The capacity of the enclosed location was limited to 500,000 people at most, but at least one million visitors were expected, based on the experience of previous years. Commentators in Der Westen, a local newspaper, had warned of impending disaster two days before the event.[6]
Entrance was granted at 14:00 CEST (12:00 UTC). Between 100,000 and 200,000 people per hour entered the location through the 20 m wide tunnel.[citation needed] The 200 to 300 metre-long tunnel was the only entrance and exit point of the festival area.[7] Around 16:00, just before the final act of the day was to begin, the tunnel became overcrowded and a panic occurred, after some hundred people broke through the safety lock at the western end of the tunnel.
The parade area reportedly had become overcrowded and police at the entrance began announcing over loudspeakers that new arrivals should turn around and head back.[2][3] The side of the tunnel that was the entry of the parade area was closed, but people continued to enter the tunnel from the rear, despite being told it was closed. A stampede occurred as the tunnel became overcrowded.[7]
Police had reported that 14 persons died when metal staircase fell on them near the entrance to the tunnel. Another two persons died on site when crushed to the wall by the crowd. [8]
Aftermath
| Nationality | Fatalities | Age |
|---|---|---|
 Germany
|
11 | 18-38 |
 Spain
|
2 | 21-22 |
 Netherlands
|
1 | 22 |
 Australia
|
1 | 27 |
 People's Republic of China
|
1 | 38 |
 Italy
|
1 | 21 |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
1 | ? |
| Total | 19 |
Police chose not to close down the event, fearing that doing so could spark another panic.[2] The nearby highway A59 was closed down and functioned as an access route for emergency services.[9]
Of the 19 dead (11 women and 8 men aged between 18 and 38 years) 11 were reported to be Germans. Among the 8 guests of other nationalities were two Spanish women aged 21 and 22 years and a 38 year old Chinese woman living in Germany,[10] a 22 year old man from the Netherlands,[11] a 21 year old woman from Italy,[12] one person from Bosnia-Herzegovina, and a 27 year old woman from Australia.[13] 16 of them died in the facility, the other 3 in hospital.
During a press conference on 25 July, organiser Rainer Schaller stated that there would never again be another Love Parade, out of respect for those who lost their lives. "The Love Parade has always been a joyful and peaceful party, but in future would always be overshadowed by yesterday's events" he stated.[14][15]
The German police and State's Attorney (Staatsanwaltschaft) have opened an official criminal investigation.[15] The Duisburg prosecutors office is investigating negligent homicide, but they have not named who their investigation targets are.[16]
Reactions
German Chancellor Angela Merkel quickly issued a statement that she was "aghast and saddened by the sorrow and the pain".[4] German President Christian Wulff also expressed his condolences for the victims of the tragedy that had "caused death, sorrow and pain amidst a peaceful festival of cheerful young people from many countries. ... My thoughts are with the victims of the tragedy and with all their family and friends".[17]
See also
References
- ^ "Massenpanik auf der Loveparade" (in German). Der Spiegel. 24 July 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ a b c "Stampede at German Love Parade festival kills 19". BBC News. 24 July 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ a b "19 killed in stampede at Love Parade street party". France 24. 24 July 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ a b "Nineteen Dead In German Festival Horror". Yahoo! News. 25 July 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ "Loveparade: "The Art of Love" brings electrifying beats to Duisburg". Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ^ "Loveparade to turn into tight-rope act". Der Westen. 22 July 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ^ a b "18 killed in mass panic at Germany's Love Parade". The Washington Post. 24 July 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ "Tragedia na Paradzie Miłości". Metro. 26 July 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
- ^ "18 killed amid panic at Germany's 'Love Parade'". CNN. 25 July 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ^ "Chinese consulate-general confirms one female citizen killed in German stampede". Xinhua. 25 July 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ^ "Nederlander (22) overleden bij Loveparade" (in Dutch). NU.nl. 25 July 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ^ "Love Parade, sono 19 le vittime della ressa Morta una ragazza italiana, un'altra è ferita" (in Italian). la Repubblica. 25 July 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ^ Philip Williams (25 July 2010). "Australian killed in German music festival stampede". ABC News Online. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ^ "Germany's Love Parade discontinued out of respect". BBC News. 25 July 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ^ a b "21-Jähriger aus Niedersachsen unter Toten der Loveparade" (in German). Hamburger Abendblatt. 25 July 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ^ Kaeckenhoff, Tom. "Prosecutors launch probe into 19 Love Parade deaths | World | News". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
- ^ "At least 19 trampled to death at Germany's Loveparade". Deutsche Welle. 25 July 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.