Those who skated on ice in various European places this weekend must have done well to hear Yoko Ono: “Walking on thin ice, I’m paying the price.”
Hundreds of people danced, skated, played hockey or walked on frozen lakes and canals in Europe over the weekend, but the ice wasn’t always thick enough to keep everyone standing.
In Amsterdam, a skater wearing only a bathing suit on a frozen canal gained his few seconds of fame – captured in a video seen almost seven million times until Tuesday – when he fell on the ice and had to be rescued by a more careful skater , who also wore more clothes.
In Berlin, policemen flew over frozen lakes in helicopters and ordered hikers and skaters to leave. In the north of England, the Lancashire Wildlife Trust asked people to stay away from frozen lakes, where rescue resources were limited.
Temperatures in Europe fell last week to levels that had not been seen for years, which has led many to ignore blocking restrictions and measures of social distance to play in snow or ice. In London, parts of the River Thames froze and people skied on the streets of Edinburgh and Paris.
In Athens, unusual blizzards interrupted Covid-19 vaccinations and authorities asked the public to leave only for essential activities. In Germany, a homeless aid group, BAG W, said last week that five people died in the cold in a week.
In the Netherlands, where skating on natural ice is a delight that happens every few years and amounts to something like a national passion, people flocked to ice clubs, according to NOS, turning skating into a happy one. distraction from a national blockade and regress.
This has led, in some cases, to incongruous and even worrying scenes.
In Amsterdam, the man in the swimsuit was not the only one who misjudged the ice: spectators helped a group of skaters with ropes and hockey sticks after fell into icy waters of a channel, second video posted on social networks.
In Berlin, a father and his 1-year-old son were taken to a hospital after falling into a lake, according to the Berlin policeman. “OFF THE ICE”, he wrote on Twitter. (A thaw started in most European cities on this day
The Canadian Red Cross recommended walking or skating only on ice at least 15 centimeters, or almost 6 inches thick – and even thicker for parties or games.
Those who fell in the cities were quickly rescued, but authorities in remote locations urged people to behave responsibly.
“Our reserves, by nature, are remote places,” said Alan Wright, the campaign manager at the Lancashire Wildlife Trust. “If someone gets into trouble, there will only be a few people around to help.”