Responsibility Avoided – German Love Parade Stampede

German prosecutors have opened an investigation into a stampede that killed 19 people at the Love Parade techno music festival in western Duisburg City on Saturday.

State prosecutor, Rolf Haferkamp, says the investigation is one of negligent homicide and bodily harm, aimed at unknown individuals.

Six foreigners, from Spain, Bosnia, the Netherlands, Australia, Italy and China, died in Saturday’s stampede.

Hordes of young people pushing through a tunnel leading into the techno festival grounds—a former freight rail yard–created chaos.

Authorities have not yet been able to explain how the tragedy happened.

[Rolf Haferkamp, Duisburg State Prosecutor]:
„The investigation will show whether there were gaps in the security concept but only once a concrete picture has been put together. It will especially depend on the analysis of written documents but also of course the statements of witnesses and any other pieces of evidence which we can gather.”

Haferkamp says about 500 people were reported injured in the mass panic, and one person remains in hospital with critical injuries.

The tragedy has shocked a country, normally well organized about crowd events.

To prevent further panic, last Saturday’s Love Parade continued for many hours after the tragedy.

Music blared and people danced on, completely unaware.

Organizers finally called off the event in the late evening, after the deaths.

Foto: NTDTV