German motorist injures 21 at Cup
(AP)
Updated: 2006-07-03 08:40
BERLIN - A German motorist injured 21 people Sunday when he drove a
Volkswagen Polo through a concrete barrier that protects Berlin's main World Cup
public viewing area, police said.
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A German police
officer walks near a Volkswagen Polo, right, which was driven into a
barrier in front of the Brandenburg gate in Berlin Sunday, July 2,
2006 blocking off Berlin's Fan Mile and injuring seven people,
police said. The seven were only lightly injured but were taken to
the hospital for treatment, police spokeswoman Marina Helig said.
The vehicle went through a barrier blocking off the stretch of main
road where World Cup games are shown on big screens to hundreds of
thousands of fans. Few people were there Sunday because there were
no matches, Helig said.
[AP]
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Ten of those injured were taken to area hospitals, while 11 others were
treated at the scene, police spokesman Eharhart Koerting said.
Police believe the driver may have intentionally broken through the barrier
that protects the stretch of road where marches are shown on big screens to
hundreds of thousands of fans, Koerting said. Few people were on the "fan mile,"
however, because no matches were being played.
Police detained both the 33-year-old driver, whose identity was not released,
and a 55-year-old female passenger.
Berlin state official Michael Donnermeyer said that a search of the vehicle
turned up no explosives and a concert scheduled for later Sunday would take
place as planned.
"We were very lucky," Donnermeyer said.
The car went through the barrier and drove right up to the area's main stage,
directly before Berlin's landmark Brandenburg Gate.
Thorsten Meyer said he was walking with his girlfriend when he saw it
approaching the barrier at about 30 mph.
"I would say that it was deliberate," Meyer said.
During the games, as many as 700,000 people have packed the mile-long area
featuring nine large screens flanked by vendors selling drinks, food and soccer
jerseys.
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