Tragedy at Love Parade in Germany

Early reports are coming in of tragedy at the annual Love Parade event in Germany.

At least 19 people have been killed and 40 others have been seriously injured in a stampede at a techno music festival in western Germany today.

Police gave no other immediate details. But the German news agency DAPD reports that the stampede broke out after authorities tried to stop thousands of people from entering the area where the parade was being held.

DAPD says the victims were crushed and that emergency workers had trouble getting through to them.

The original Berlin Love Parade grew from a 1989 peace demonstration
into a huge outdoor celebration of club culture that drew about 1.5 million people at its peak in 1999.

But it suffered from financial problems and tensions with city officials in later years, and eventually moved. 

Sunday Update

Survivors of a stampede at a free dance music festival in Germany in which 19 people were killed have blamed organisers for the deaths.

Witnesses criticised the decision to have just one entrance through a tunnel to the Love Parade, and said they had warned police about overcrowding.

However, the mayor of Duisburg told a press conference that it was too early to blame anyone for the incident.

The organiser of the festival said that there would be no more Love Parades.

"The Love Parade has always been a joyful and peaceful party, but in future would always be overshadowed by yesterday's events," , Rainer Schaller said.

"Out of respect for the victims, their families and friends, we are going to discontinue the event in the future, and that means the end of the Love Parade."

Officials have launched an investigation into the disaster.

More info:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10751899

http://blog.foem.info/