Organizers of urban music festival L’Bouvard said on Saturday they will open investigations into claims of rape that had allegedly taken place in a rap concert on Friday, where violence, theft, and assault were also rampant.
Organizers said they take “very seriously the publications on social networks reporting rapes that would have been committed last night, Friday 30 September, during the festival.”
“The procedure for an official request to open an investigation is underway,” they said in a press release.
Ill-equipped organization, and little security during the concert left the event organizers scrambling to respond to heavy criticism by festival goers and social media users. Many criticized the reluctance of the Boulevard to respond to the chaos that had erupted during the Friday event.
“If we speak out only now, it is because we were looking for more information on what was published, from the competent authorities and from Internet users who alerted public opinion.”
“The L’Boulevard team strongly condemns all forms of sexist and sexual violence,” they added.
Social media was ravaged by accounts from attendees, who reported that security was not up to par, adding that the unexpectedly high attendance to the free concert overwhelmed organizers and security personnel.
Chaos rained in the RUC stadium, as fans rushed through the gates to watch their favorite rappers live. As the main scene reached full capacity, fans took over the grandstands, with some resorting to violence.
L’Boulevard security decided to close all the entries and exits to contain the crowd, which resulted in further disorder, with people stuck alongside their aggressors with nowhere to go.
Attendees shared their shocking experiences on social media, many attesting to the use of white arms, repurposed metal bars from the concert tents, and screwdrivers.
People reported thefts, sporadic beatings, group fights, and distressing sexual assault allegations, with many calling on authorities to urgently identify perpetrators.
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