A total of 23 people have been injured in a stampede and a small fire at the entrance to the popular summer music festival Ghana Party in the Park in North London. Three of the injured have been taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The incident has led to the immediate suspension and cancellation of the rest of the event for public safety reasons.
How did the Copthall Playing Fields incident happen?
The incident began after a small fire broke out near the entrance barriers of the Copthall Playing Fields stadium in Barnet. Security and law enforcement responded immediately and closed the checkpoints within minutes to bring the situation under control and allow firefighters access.
Due to the huge number of fans arriving for the headliner - Ghanaian reggae and dancehall star Shatta Wale - a huge crowd of thousands quickly formed in front of the closed doors. According to an official statement from the Metropolitan Police, published by BBC News (bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c05q964n4llo), when the doors reopened, a powerful crowd surge followed and people in the front rows were knocked to the ground.
Lightning response by the emergency services
Police officers on the scene reacted tactically quickly, forming a human shield between the oncoming crowd and the fallen visitors. London Ambulance Service, firefighters and a medical helicopter were immediately called to the scene.
Police officers provided first aid, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to some of the most severely injured fans. Emergency services said most of the victims were treated at the scene for bruises, abrasions and choking, and three people were taken to hospital.
Organisers have denied social media rumours
Shortly after the festival was cancelled, speculation about knife attacks and deaths spread on TikTok and Instagram. In an official statement, quoted by The Independent (independent.co.uk/news/health/london-festival-stampede-ghana-in-the-park-b3025960.html), the organizers categorically denied these allegations:
„We would like to clarify that there were no incidents of stabbings or deaths, as has been speculated. The decision to close the festival was made solely on the grounds of the health and safety of those attending.“
However, many attendees expressed their dissatisfaction on social media, blaming the logistics of the event. Users claimed that the venue had too tight a pass regime with a limited number of entrances for the scale of the event, which traditionally attracts upwards of 8,000 to 10,000 visitors. The Ghana Party in the Park festival has been held annually since 2005 and is considered the largest cultural event of the Ghanaian diaspora outside West Africa.
The authorities in London and Barnet Borough Council have already launched a full investigation to determine whether the capacity of the entrances was in line with the tickets sold and the security measures.