21 years ago, the Loveparade started as a demonstration for peace, love, and understanding through music in Berlin. Last weekend, the festival, which had reached cult status around the world, turned deadly when 19 revelers were crushed to death and more than 500 were injured when a mass panic broke out.
German prosecutors launched an intensive investigation into what caused the deadly tragedy in Duisburg. The German news source spiegel.de reported that it has obtained an internal document which shows that the festival ground was only approved for 250,000 visitors - organizers reported after the festival, that 1.4 million people attended the Loveparade. There was only one entrance to the venue, a tunnel, which soon became overcrowded - and a death trap.
Today, Germany's newspapers are filled with chilling reports from Loveparade visitors who witnessed the tragedy. It is the end of the Loveparade. Rainer Schaller, head organiser and CEO of the music festival, announced
"The Love Parade has always been a peaceful party, but it will for ever be overshadowed by the accident, so out of respect for the victims the Love Parade will never take place again."
Photo: Getty Images/Christoph Reichwein