Despite Corona: Thousands of people crowded - violent criticism after dinghy party in Berlin

Hundreds of boats and thousands of people on the Landwehr Canal in Berlin - and that in Corona times. The photos from the party on the water cause criticism - also from the club scene.

• Public life has been suffering since the corona virus outbreak in Germany .
• According to strict corona rules, parties are prohibited and clubs are closed.
• Nevertheless, hundreds of boats and thousands of people met in Berlin on the Landwehr Canal in Kreuzberg. 

Berlin - The Pentecost weekend was perfect this year - at least from a weather point of view. Hundreds of rubber boats met on the Landwehr Canal in Berlin. Despite Corona *, distance rules seemed forgotten. The police had to intervene. This was about a protest, about the support of Berlin clubs.

Water demo in Berlin: 400 rubber boats crowded on the Landwehr Canal

The Berlin police said that the meeting took place on the water from Alt-Treptow to Kreuzberg under the theme "For culture - everyone in one boat". Around 12.30 p.m. the water demo started on Saturday (May 31st). Initially, the boats started to move, accompanied by two boats from the water police. But over time, more and more boats joined. 

In the end, the police counted up to 400 boats , including mostly inflatables and around 20 larger boats. Around 1,500 people attended the meeting on the water and also on the shore.

Demo against club death in Berlin is getting out of hand.

© AFP / DAVID GANNON

The organizer asked the participants several times to keep the distances, the police said. Rescue workers also addressed the boat drivers and participants on the bank. "Due to the non-compliance with each other and complaints about too loud music," the organizer ended the water demo in the early evening in consultation with the police. The police were deployed with 100 forces.

Because of corona rules: Violent criticism against Berlin demo on the water

The campaign against the dying of the club scene and rave culture in Berlin caused criticism. It can be seen in photos and videos of the party that hardly anyone adheres to the distance rules. Hardly anyone wore mouth-and-nose protection at the meeting. The reactions on Twitter followed promptly.

Hey Berlin, what's wrong with you? #Kreuzberg #landwehrkanal #corona #coronadeutschland pic.twitter.com/ifmP6T9GN5

Those who celebrate here, under the windows of the primary bank hospital: You have successfully opened a new club - the club of selfish people. Now a request: take your club and disappear from our neighborhood. No idea where you belong - at least not here. #landwehrkanal pic.twitter.com/UBNklLte35

According to the Berlin Club Commission, it was an initiative by individual actors from the club scene. The original plan was for people on the banks of the Spree to listen to music and speeches from boats on the water. According to rbb24.de , the organizers had hardly expected the crowd. The organizers apologized for the techno party in front of the clinical center on Urban, that this location was more than poorly chosen as the end point of the demo and was symbolically completely inappropriate. 

Risk of corona virus spread: Call to demonstrators

In the statement, the Berlin Club Commission asks the risk of spread of all participants of the demo coronavirus limit to prevent and their social contacts in the next 14 days to a minimum - especially when dealing with older and sick people.  

The statement of the club commission on the meeting "For culture - everyone in one boat" pic.twitter.com/B7YIS4yGkK

Despite violations of the corona distance regulation: No consequences for organizers

The organizers of the demo should not fear any consequences. Emergency workers would have neither posted reports about the corona violations , nor recorded personal data, reports rbb24.de

Even in the noble health resort Kampen, there was obviously a huge party - despite Corona. The police respond. 

ml

* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network