Stockton Fringe Festival Disaster

[R.D Punk]

Well this wasn't really a disaster but personally it was for me. The headline act was Calvin Harris whom is big in the UK and at a free festival it's a good move but it nearly turned out to be another love Parade. I mean they had to real way of controlling how many people where in there so looking from a high vantage point I can assume there was more than 10,000 people there in a space the width of two football pitches and everyone drunk and pushing to the front.

I said earlier it was personal and it was. Me and my friends where happly jumping and having fun until a large 40 year old woman took hands on my friends girlfriend and mine and pushed them back buy there necklesses. I mean they are both 15 and both quite slim so there was no need for it. So I grabbed the woman and throw her off them and then me and my mate squared up to the man and had a little scrap but again we where both slim and he was a 37 year old I'm guessing and quite large. It sounds nothing but it was just unorginised caos tbh and so far I think there is over 100 people in hospital and many more walking wonded really. I had a few elbows to the head and got it bust open and broke a few toes after vollying some scum in the shin for pushing my girlfriend. Really it was a disgrace to what was a good festival

 

[Troy]

Free festivals are a great idea but they lead to incidents like this and the Love Parade. You never know how many people will show up and therefore it seems like most organisors select less security than there needs to be. It is better to have a lot of security and staff around to help organise and prevent problems like this and to organise the crowd. Sorry to hear your story and hopefully you and your friends are all okay.

 

[R.D Punk]

I've got a couple of stiches in the back of my head and a broke index toe and the others are just shock up and bruised but I was appalled at how little the police where bothered when I came up to them and said it's dangerous and they need to sort it out. It was a good weekend and there where good bands but it was tainted by how many people where there and pushing to the front. I understand that it's what your get at these sort of things, but it was just all around there was people crying, blood and drink everywhere and fights but there was no stewards to controle it. I get it aswell that it sounds stupid but for Adults to attack children and not get anything done about it is pathetic. I even went up and told the police about it and there response was "okay, I will radio up to see if there is trouble but I can't do anything" and that was that.

 

[Brock Lesnar]

That's crazy, hope you're okay RD Punk. It looks like they attacked you and your friends without any reason too, and maybe you should go to the courts about it. I don't know if thats an option around you, and your location, or your views on life and all that.

 

[Troy]

The police sound like they didn't want to get involved as there weren't enough of them. Disappointing that they just brushed you and your friends off rather than actually dealing with the situation which had gotten way out of hand.