German authorities put to test by two mass events

BERLIN, May 27: German authorities were put to the test two weeks before the start of the World Cup with mass crowds of nearly a million people attending two separate open-air public events in Berlin within a span of 24 hours.

More than 250,000 spectators attended a Red Bull Air Race event at Tempelhof Airport today, the biggest sporting crowd in the country this year. Traffic outside Europe's oldest airfield was snarled but police reported no other problems.

Another 500,000 gathered for a concert and fireworks show at the dedication of Berlin's new central rail station on Friday night. The event was marred when a teenager stabbed and injured 28 people as they left the ceremony just before midnight.

''There are many large-scale events held in Berlin and we've had a plenty of practice,'' said Berlin police spokesman Matthias Prange. ''Everything at the air race went off without a hitch and there were no problems at the station until the attack.'' The teenager stabbed wildly at people about three blocks east of the new station as they streamed away from the station, which is Europe's largest with more than 1,100 trains and 300,000 passengers each day.

The attack was near a major hospital. Rescue services were able to quickly aid all those stabbed. Six of the injured in the 10-minute long attack were in serious condition but a victim initially on the critical list has improved.

Reuters