Officials explain German festival stampede
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Matthias Roeingh, one of the founders of the Love Parade, also called Dr. Motte, told reporters that the organizers provided only one tunnel exit for the crowding music fans, which has proved to be "a huge management mistake."
"How can they let people go through only one tunnel to the grounds? It's a scandal," he said.
Some witnesses were angry at the authorities' slow reaction when they warned the police some 45 minutes before the stampede that the tunnel was unbearably crowded with little fresh air and might cause disasters.
![A still from an amateur video shows people trying to escape the stampede outside a tunnel at the Love Parade 'The art of Love' in the western German city of Duisburg July 24, 2010.[Xinhua]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20100726/000cf1bdd03f0db7263f3c.jpg "A still from an amateur video shows people trying to escape the stampede outside a tunnel at the Love Parade 'The art of Love' in the western German city of Duisburg July 24, 2010.[Xinhua]") |
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A still from an amateur video shows people trying to escape the stampede outside a tunnel at the Love Parade "The art of Love" in the western German city of Duisburg July 24, 2010.[Xinhua] |
Sauerland defended the operation plan of the festival, saying "It wasn't the security concept that didn't work, but probably (the blame) lies with individual shortcomings," he said.
The mayor also called on the public to wait for the investigation results before making any other judgment.
German news agency DPA reported that the police and the organizers have handed over documents to the prosecutors for investigation.
Von Schmeling said that 16 of the 19 victims have been identified so far, and four foreigners were among the killed, who were from China, the Netherlands, Australia and Italy.
Wang Xiting, deputy consul-general of the Chinese consulate-general in Frankfurt confirmed to Xinhua that one Chinese woman was killed in the stampede. The consulate-general was keeping in touch with local police, and some officials have gone to Duisburg for further details and aftermath.
Wang Xin, chairman of the Chinese student association in Duisburg, told Xinhua that the Chinese victim was not a student, and she may work in a city near Duisburg.
Rainer Schaller, the founder of the Love Parade, said in the press conference that due to the stunning tragedy, it would be the last Love Parade, which was one of Europe's largest electronic music festivals and first held in Berlin in 1989.
"The Love Parade was always a peaceful event and a happy party," but it would never escape the shadow of Saturday's tragedy, Schaller said, with sadness in his eyes. "It's over for the Love Parade."
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