Germans flout virus rules at 'crazy and wild' U-Bahn parties
Video has emerged of people ignoring social distancing rules and holding spontaneous “corona parties” on crowded Berlin subway trains late at night.
Footage shared extensively on social media shows an U-Bahn carriage packed with young passengers dancing and singing along to loud music.
Some of the more adventurous passengers are climbing on the seats and hanging from the handrails.
Almost none of those visible are wearing face masks, despite the fact failure to wear one is punishable with a fine of up to €500 (£450).
“Thanks to everyone who was there yesterday. It was just f***ing crazy and wild. You are Berlin,” a user who posted the footage to Instagram under the name Crazyandwildboy wrote.
“Unfortunately things got a bit out of hand. It would have been better to have worn a mask.”
The footage, later deleted, is believed to have been filmed on Friday. It is one of a number of similar videos doing the rounds on social media. Another, filmed more than a week ago, shows people dancing and chanting on a packed U-Bahn station platform.
“It was a spontaneous thing. It happened by chance a week ago, more like a guerrilla action,” an unnamed participant in the earlier video told Bild newspaper. “Nobody said anything. The plan was to do it again on Friday, but this time only on the train because it was so much fun."
“Nothing was reported. If this video is new, then corona rules are being violated, and of course that’s unacceptable,” said a spokesman for Berlin’s BVG public transport company.
The video comes amid growing concern that people are ignoring social distancing rules in Berlin.
Police were out in force at the weekend enforcing distancing rules, and Dilek Kalayci, the regional health minister, threatened to ban the sale of alcohol in pubs and restaurants if they are not observed.
“In restaurants people come together. If a lot of alcohol is consumed, it becomes difficult,” Ms Kalayci said. “I think it's right to consider an alcohol ban if discipline in restaurants doesn't improve.”
Police in France broke up an illegal rave in a remote mountain region at the weekend. Around 10,000 people are believed to have attended the event in the Cevennes national park, some of them accompanied by young children.
Police blocked off the area and placed it under lockdown, before allowing revellers to leave in small groups. Around 4,500 people were still at the site on Monday afternoon, according to local authorities.
The incidents came as a survey found that on average German businesses expect a further eight months of coronavirus restrictions.
The survey by the Ifo Institute found most pessimism in the German leisure industry, where businesses said they expected more than a year of further restrictions.
