sábado, 31 de julho de 2010

Thousands mourn Love Parade victims


Duisburg, Germany (CNN) -- Thousands of people gathered Saturday for a memorial service a week after a stampede at a German music festival left 21 people dead.
The service at the Salvator Church in the northern German city of Duisburg was broadcast at 14 other churches in town and at the local soccer arena, which has a capacity of 31,500.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Christian Wulff both cut short their holidays to be at the service.
Duisburg Mayor Adolf Sauerland did not plan to be there, however, after reports he had received death threats for allowing the Love Parade festival to take place in the city.
Organizers planned a candle procession from the scene of the tragedy to Salvator Church and the arena. The church can accommodate about 500 people, and the seats were reserved mainly for relatives of the victims.
Joachim Mueller-Lange, the vicar responsible for emergency spiritual healing, said all the families of those killed had been contacted, including some who live abroad. Some families did not plan to attend because burials were being held Saturday, while others declined to attend because they wished for something more private, he said.
CNN