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Love Parade deaths: 10 charged over crush at festival | Love Parade deaths: 10 charged over crush at festival |
(35 minutes later) | |
Ten people have been charged over the deaths of 21 people in a stampede at Germany's Love Parade music festival. | Ten people have been charged over the deaths of 21 people in a stampede at Germany's Love Parade music festival. |
The crush happened when hundreds of thousands of people tried to squeeze through a narrow tunnel that served as the only access to the grounds in 2010. | The crush happened when hundreds of thousands of people tried to squeeze through a narrow tunnel that served as the only access to the grounds in 2010. |
Four staff of the music festival organiser Lopavent and six members of the administration in the western city of Duisburg have been charged. | Four staff of the music festival organiser Lopavent and six members of the administration in the western city of Duisburg have been charged. |
They are accused of negligent manslaughter and causing bodily harm. | They are accused of negligent manslaughter and causing bodily harm. |
More than 500 people were injured during the 24 July 2010 tragedy. | |
"An event where people wanted to party, dance and have fun turned into a terrible tragedy," Duisburg's chief prosecutor Horst Bien told a press conference. "Twenty-one people had to die, hundreds were injured." | "An event where people wanted to party, dance and have fun turned into a terrible tragedy," Duisburg's chief prosecutor Horst Bien told a press conference. "Twenty-one people had to die, hundreds were injured." |
"The victims, their relatives and the bereaved are still suffering today because of the traumatic events," he added. | "The victims, their relatives and the bereaved are still suffering today because of the traumatic events," he added. |
The state of North Rhine-Westphalia had initially investigated 16 suspects, mostly city officials and staff of the festival organisers, over claims that bad planning and poor crowd management were to blame. | The state of North Rhine-Westphalia had initially investigated 16 suspects, mostly city officials and staff of the festival organisers, over claims that bad planning and poor crowd management were to blame. |
Proceedings against six of them were dropped because there was not enough evidence for charges, said Mr Bien. | Proceedings against six of them were dropped because there was not enough evidence for charges, said Mr Bien. |
The then mayor of Duisburg, Adolf Sauerland, was forced to step down after a 2012 city referendum, accused of having ignored warnings that the venue was too small. | The then mayor of Duisburg, Adolf Sauerland, was forced to step down after a 2012 city referendum, accused of having ignored warnings that the venue was too small. |
An interim police report listed a catalogue of crowd management and planning mistakes. | An interim police report listed a catalogue of crowd management and planning mistakes. |
The grounds opened nearly two hours later than promised, leading to an initial blockage in the tunnel, and there were no loudspeakers to control the crowd, the report said. | The grounds opened nearly two hours later than promised, leading to an initial blockage in the tunnel, and there were no loudspeakers to control the crowd, the report said. |
The victims - 13 women and eight men - were aged 18 to 38 and included seven foreigners: from Australia, Italy, the Netherlands, China, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Spain. | The victims - 13 women and eight men - were aged 18 to 38 and included seven foreigners: from Australia, Italy, the Netherlands, China, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Spain. |
The Love Parade started as an impromptu party on Berlin's main shopping street in 1989, before becoming an annual pilgrimage for millions of techno fans from around the world. | |
But, accorded the status of a political demonstration, the city authorities were landed with the clean-up costs and, as attendance exploded, friction with local residents increased. | |
Commercial pressures grew too, with the festival founder, Dr Motte disassociating himself from the event in later years, because of its increasing commercialisation. | |
In the wake of the tragedy in 2010, he blamed festival organisers for lacking concern for partygoers. | |
In recent years the festival had been held outside Berlin, due to problems getting permission to hold the event in the capital. |