GA-Liveblog at the Nürburgring "Rock am Ring" resumes after „terror threat“ has not been confirmed
NÜRBURGRING · The festival is back on! „Rock am Ring“ resumes after having been temporarily suspended due to a „credible terror threat“.
This is the news thousands of music fans have been waiting for, the organisers just announced: „Rock am Ring 2017 will go on!“ According to a statement, intensive searches and sweeps of the complete festival site did not confirm the suspicion of a potential terrorist threat. The organisers thanked the „incredibly disciplined“ fans, who „deserve all our respect and gratitude“. Due to a „credible terror threat“, the rock festival „Rock am Ring“ had been suspended last night.
The music festival „Rock am Ring“ was interrupted last night due to a terror warning. Organiser Marek Lieberberg informed the fans about the measure. According to police information there were concrete indications that a terror threats could not be eliminated. To avoid endangering fans, the decision to evacuate was taken. The organizer also asked fans via Twitter to calmly leave the festivals grounds towards the camp site. According to the „Rock am Ring“ website last night, „the organizers of Rock am Ring and the police were working nightshifts to take all necessary measures to guarantee a safe festival“.
Marek Lieberberg did not hide his irritation that „Rock am Ring“ got struck by fate again, seeing himself as the „scapegoat“ for a situation that was not caused by the organisers. Already last year, the festival had to be called off due to severe weather. Lieberberg did not see any reason for the suspension of the festival. Already prior to the involuntary intermission, security concerns accompanied the festival. Police presence at the Nürburgring was - also against the background of the terror attack at the concert in Manchester nearly a fortnight ago - increased to 1,200 officers.
Organiser Lieberberg commemorated the Manchester victims when opening the festival on the main stage. After the terror threat the investigations were going full speed, says Roger Lewentz (SPD), minister of the interior of Rhineland-Palatinate. „There are a few points that we concentrate on“, he told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur. The festival grounds were being thoroughly examined. In reference to the investigation he did not mention any details. He said, he kept federal minister of the interior, Thomas de Maizière (CDU), informed. The Nürburgring is celebrating its 90th birthday this year - and „Rock am Ring“ was supposed to return to its roots in its 31st year after two years of taking place at the airfield Mendig. Our reporters Moritz Rosenkranz, Britta Röös und Andreas Dyck are reporting in a live online coverage about „Rock am Ring“. Original text: General-AnzeigerTranslation: Mareike Graepel
