One million ravers, 200 DJs, 28 Love Mobiles – the 27th Zurich Street Parade, one of the largest house and techno parties in the world, meandered through Switzerland’s biggest city on Saturday under perfect weather conditions. (All pictures Keystone.)
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Born in London, Thomas was a journalist at The Independent before moving to Bern in 2005. He speaks all three official Swiss languages and enjoys travelling the country and practising them, above all in pubs, restaurants and gelaterias.
What was louder, the clothes or the music? It’s hard to tell, but the kaleidoscopic crowd slowly following the 28 “Love Mobiles” – music floats – certainly enjoyed the sun and relaxed atmosphere, reflecting this year’s motto of love and tolerance.
That said, 724 people needed treatment at the medical centre, up a quarter on last year. Most were for cuts, insect bites or circulation problems. Four people picked up serious injuries, for example after falling from a height.
While most people knew their limits, the medical staff had to look after around 280 people who had overdone it on alcohol or drugs. Police said they had arrested 70 people, mostly young men, for disturbing the peace while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Organisers said it was only the third time more than a million people had attended, following successful years in 2001 and 2015.
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A million people party at Zurich Street Parade
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Zurich’s Street Parade is one of the most popular house and techno parades in Europe.
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Street Parade’s on-site drug testing aims to save lives
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A drug advisory service, funded by Zurich city authorities, has been carrying out anonymous drug testing at the Street Parade since 2001.
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The event is widely described as the biggest outdoor techno party in Europe. Despite the large number of attendees, health and safety incidents were down: 690 people were treated by first aid helpers, a 23% drop compared with the previous year. Most were cuts and scratches. The festivities started with a warm up at 1pm,…
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There is no dress code at Zurich's Street Parade. Some 900,000 hardcore ravers, dance music fans and curious spectators turned out this year.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.