(AP) On Thursday 10,000 fans gathered in front of the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, to watch U2 perform a mini-concert in commemoration of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Hundreds more fans, having missed out on the free tickets, gathered outside a wall of their own: a two-metre tall metal barrier blocking the concert from view.
“It’s completely ridiculous that they are blocking the view,” said Louis-Pierre Boily, a 23 year old fan who came to Berlin even though he was without tickets. “I thought it’s a free show, but MTV probably wants people to watch it on TV to get their ratings up.”
MTV said it worked with the local promoter, the city and Berlin police to install a temporary fence “around the site to ensure the safety and security of the attendees at the event as well as residents and businesses in the area.”
During the concert Jay-Z appeared as a surprise guest and, with U2, sang Marley’s Get Up, Stand Up, which we assume was directed at the people standing behind the 6.5 foot metal barrier draped with tarpaulin. U2’s publicist RMP refused comment about the barrier.
