Police in Germany seized approximately 120 vehicles late last week as their owners were participating in a road rally dubbed ‘Eurorally.’
The event out of Norway is a multi-day trip through Europe starting in the Norwegian capital of Oslo and finishing in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. It reportedly cost €799 (roughly $900) to enter and participants were driving on a stretch of the German Autobahn on Thursday when authorities pounced, The Telegraph reports.
While the section of the Autobahn being driven by participants doesn’t have a speed limit, drivers were allegedly racing each other at up to 155 mph (250 km/h) on the A20 east of Wismar, in north-east Germany, something, apparently not allowed at any speeds. Concerned motorists reported the cars to the police who quickly seized every vehicle participating in the event.
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According to the Eurorally website’s terms and conditions, the event is “not a competition” but only a “holiday planner for car enthusiasts”.
“We aim to give you a once-in-a-lifetime experience holiday consisting of great events taking place in multiple countries along the route,” says the website’s page. “There will be parties at each destination, and at the final destination in Prague we will be hosting a farewell party where participants will be given awards in various categories.”
Speaking with the media late last week, German police said they were still determining whether or not the event was an illegal race but as of Friday, had released most of the seized cars. To prevent further racing, the cars were released in groups of no more than four an hour.
It is believed that most drivers were allowed to continue on driving as they were later spotted in Gdansk, Poland.
In a statement issued to local Bild newspaper, a police spokesman said “A continuation of the event has definitely been stopped.”
The Euronally website insists that the event is “not a competition,” and that organizers “aim to give you a once-in-a-lifetime experience holiday consisting of great events taking place in multiple countries along the route.”