Berlin techno parade begins with tribute to Pride attack victims

Thousands of people paused for a minute's silence at the beginning of Berlin's techno parade on Saturday to remember the victims of an Islamist attack on the fringes of the Pride parade in the German capital three weeks ago, reported dpa.

The Rave the Planet parade began at 1:50 pm (1150 GMT) on the main boulevard which runs through the Tiergarten park, between the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column - close to the site of the July 25 attack. On that day, an Islamist assailant drove a van into a crowd of people and then attacked people, allegedly with a machete, killing a woman and injuring at least 31 people, some seriously.

At the kick-off rally on Saturday, Dr Motte - co-founder of the Rave the Planet charity - called on participants to keep love in their minds. A representative of the Berlin Pride association said: "Let's be brave. Let's take a stand. Now more than ever."

High security and temperatures

The techno parade is the first major event in central Berlin since the Pride attack. Organizers were expecting up to 300,000 techno fans for the parade, which is taking place under the slogan "Imagine Love."

The police were out in large numbers, with around 1,500 officers on duty. They also planned to deploy helicopters and drones to protect the event, which is set to continue into the evening.

Roads and paths in the surrounding area were closed and, in some places, secured with bollards, while metro stations in the vicinity of the techno spectacle were not being served.

Berlin police were supported by colleagues from the states of Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt.

Ahead of the parade, Berlin police chief Barbara Slowik Meisel told RBB Inforadio that she was confident her force can provide "a very high level of protection."

But she noted authorities can't secure every path through the park. "We also cannot staff every barrier with people or personnel. There is no absolute protection" Slowik Meisel said.

The heat is another challenge, with temperatures well above 30 degrees Celsius. Police set up a water cannon to provide cooling spray mist, and organizers said free drinking water would be available along the route.

The "Fuckparade" is also being held as a counter-event to Rave the Planet. The demonstration is aimed "against commercialization and the displacement of subcultures." Police said 1,200 participants were registered.

(By Marion van der Kraats and Stefan Kruse).