Dozens killed in crush at Lag Baomer religious festival in Israel

[Soph0571]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: The Guardian

At least 44 people have been killed and about 150 injured in a crowd crush at a Jewish religious gathering in northern Israel attended by tens of thousands of people, in one of the country’s worst peacetime disasters.

Eli Beer, director of an Israeli volunteer ambulance service, Hatzalah, said he was shocked by the size of the crowds at Mount Meron overnight, estimated at around 100,000. Children were among the dead, he told Army Radio on Friday morning.

“Unfortunately, we found small children trampled there, and we performed CPR on children. We were able to save some of them,” he said.

Zaka, another voluntary emergency medical group, said the death toll had risen to 44. Meanwhile, the national ambulance service, Magen David Adom, said 14 of the roughly 150 injured remained in critical condition after being rushed to hospitals around the country.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/30/killed-in-crush-at-religious-festival-in-israel-lag-baomer-mount-meron

---

This is awful. Too many people in too small a space - should not have been allowed to happen. May the victims here RIP.

[abqtommy]

1. In my lifetime I've heard of these types of incidents but mainly in India. It is sad what

troubles people bring upon themselves.

[Soph0571]

2. It happens on hajj quite often also n/t

[abqtommy]

3. You're right, of course. There's a pattern in all of this.

[greenjar_01]

7. One of the more notorious recent crowd crush events was at Love Parade...in Germany

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Parade_disaster

21 people died.

[Backseat Driver]

9. One of the reasons I won't ever go to Ohio's

favorite Red, White & Boom July 4 Festival - I attended long ago and was in a prime downtown area for viewing where the people were packed shoulder to shoulder, and all taller than I am. It was a very warm and humid evening. Suddenly, in front of me, a very angry guy was giving lip to a woman who had brought her infant to the area near the Nationwide (insurance) Bldg, in a stroller. As he pushed it out from his "personal space," the woman began yelling back about his assault on the child-in-stroller and persons nearby all adjusted their position away from the confrontation. Jostling to a relative position of safety near the building instead of mid-street, I did hear the tremendous booms, but saw absolutely nothing of the magnificent program. It was a very scary situation. NEVER AGAIN!

That said, I was also on the DC Mall one year for July 4th - everyone so well behaved for the party. It was an inspiring all-day event, for sure for the estimated 500,000 all around the Capitol as far as the eye could see - music (Beachboys, Rachmaninoff conducting an orchestra, military bands from all the services on the steps of many of the monuments and federal buildings, tented art exhibition, and patriotic fireworks). It was one exciting day...After the main event that evening, all those people disappeared as the subway moved the attendees off to their homes and accommodations in barely an hour. (Planners turn in-bound trains into out-bound ones). My brother grabbed his toddler niece, put her on his shoulders, and merged into the crowd with others - we ended up on different trains but were reunited at the proper stop back at our hotel. I was truly in a panic thinking I'd never see my daughter again, LOL!

[joetheman]

4. Horrifying! How tragic for these people.

I am just wondering what kind of COVID outbreak will emerge on top of this. Festive, mask-less crowds dancing and singing in very, very tight quarters??? More tragedy on top of tragedy. Painful days ahead. No words to adequately express the sadness.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. This demonstrates how little control Netanyahu has over ultra religious/Orthodox Israelis.

This unfortunate event was wholly predictable. Either Netanyahu couldn't or wouldn't stop it. The participants risked their lives -- and the lives of their children -- either by Covid by Crowds or by being trampled/smothered. Canceling the event wouldn't have impinged upon their "right" to worship.

[MissMillie]

6. 1979 and The Who all over again... except

There's a global pandemic going on and why would anybody think it's a good idea for 100,000 people to gather anywhere?

[Jetheels]

8. Is there not other ways to celebrate than joining a massive crowd? Sad, tragic.

[Omaha Steve]

10. After a review by forum hosts....LOCKING

DUPE OF https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142736460

Post the latest news from reputable mainstream news websites and blogs. Important news of national interest only. No analysis or opinion pieces. No duplicates. News stories must have been published within the last 12 hours. Use the published title of the story as the title of the discussion thread.