Camp Distruction & Stampede

[pablo666]

Hi All

Can anybody tell me what the idea was behind Sunday night Monday morning stampede? Other than noise and total destruction of fence lines and camps. I have been too many festivals in the UK and in Europe but not camping Sonisphere was my first festival camping for the full weekend.

Does this happen at all festivals? After the last night.

Why would you destroy your camp by burning your tent burning your sleeping bag and smashing your chairs to bits when you have spent your well earned money on those items? Why not hand them in at the recycling tents dotted around the site for somebody who could make use of them.

Just seemed pointless.

[r0w]

Hi All

Can anybody tell me what the idea was behind Sunday night Monday morning stampede? Other than noise and total destruction of fence lines and camps. I have been too many festivals in the UK and in Europe but not camping Sonisphere was my first festival camping for the full weekend.

Does this happen at all festivals? After the last night.

Why would you destroy your camp by burning your tent burning your sleeping bag and smashing your chairs to bits when you have spent your well earned money on those items? Why not hand them in at the recycling tents dotted around the site for somebody who could make use of them.

Just seemed pointless.

[ampersand]

yeah i felt a bit uncomfy in my tent on sunday night. people are nobs.

hopefully i'll be in staff camping next year.

[saratink]

Aparently red wasn't as bad as blue..

At times i actually thought people were gona break into the tent whilst i was in it.

[smileydogs]

the whole thing was a shame rumour had it that an ice cream van was turned over and set alight ! just a bunch of drunken children running wild with no thought of how it could have seriously hurt someone

the staff were agency and a lot had no training in crowd control - thats how come the crushing happened on sat nite

seems like sonisphere are happy so long as they have your money but have no regard for health and safety

did you know there were no fire extinguishers on site anywhere! even security had requested them but never materialised - they are really lucky no one got killed on sunday!

[bekimo]

Aparently red wasn't as bad as blue..

At times i actually thought people were gona break into the tent whilst i was in it.

[5co77ie]

I've heard since that there were some thefts from tents on Thursday (the opening night of a festival is quite often targeted by gangs). Never heard about the ice cream van, or the major burning stuff - I guess that must have been in blue.

By stampede do you mean the teen kids running about shouting shit? That was all weekend - if you're going next year don't expect any sleep in the campsite unless you're in family.

Or the stampede that involved what sounded like police horses?

The fence lines didn't look totally destructed to me - it looked like a couple of harris fencing panels had been effected.

Maybe I'm a little desensitized to this kind of things - but to me it didn't seem that bad, certainly not as bad as Reading 2007 and 2008.

I saw fire extinguishers on site both beside the police compound/access thing as you entered the campsite site and in the Bohemia tent - I've got piccies which might include them, I'll have a look.

Seems to me there's an element who go to festivals now who do for no good reason smash up and burn all their kit on the last night of a festival - I'm guessing it's not their hard earned cash that paid for them but their parents.

In answer to your question it happens at most festivals where kids and alcohol mix so far I've heard both WOMAD (the last place you'd expect) and Kendal Calling have had similar problems.

WOMAD actually have made the following statement:

Now we're off the field and back in the office, we have had a chance to read the various comments on the forum about some incidents of anti social behaviour during this year's festival. Whilst we all know this was a small minority of people attending the festival if you were affected by it we completely understand that it was a very uncomfortable situation to be in.

We will be responding to those who have contacted us directly as soon as possible, however, we would like to reassure everyone that, as well as taking action during the festival to evict the majority of the trouble makers and confiscating large amounts of alcohol from those under the age of 18, we are already in discussion with both police and security to reconfigure the camping for 2011 enabling us to manage better both antisocial behaviour and concerns over underage drinking. We have identified that the single biggest problem was with a minority of young people who entered the festival with parents/guardians and who were then left to their own devices.

Encouraging people of all ages to attend the festival is important, but equally so is the respect that we must all show to each other during the festival to keep that WOMAD vibe. WOMAD will continue to work with all parties, including you the festival goers, to ensure the festival remains both safe and accessible to everybody.

Edited August 5, 2010 by 5co77ie

[5co77ie]

Here is footage of the fire:

[ampersand]

i think family camping might be the place for me in future at fests that offer them. maybe i'm old before my time, but i just can't be bothered with twats who have no thought for anyone but them and their mates.

[pablo666]

I've heard since that there were some thefts from tents on Thursday (the opening night of a festival is quite often targeted by gangs). Never heard about the ice cream van, or the major burning stuff - I guess that must have been in blue.

By stampede do you mean the teen kids running about shouting shit? That was all weekend - if you're going next year don't expect any sleep in the campsite unless you're in family.

Or the stampede that involved what sounded like police horses?

The fence lines didn't look totally destructed to me - it looked like a couple of harris fencing panels had been effected.

Maybe I'm a little desensitized to this kind of things - but to me it didn't seem that bad, certainly not as bad as Reading 2007 and 2008.

I saw fire extinguishers on site both beside the police compound/access thing as you entered the campsite site and in the Bohemia tent - I've got piccies which might include them, I'll have a look.

Seems to me there's an element who go to festivals now who do for no good reason smash up and burn all their kit on the last night of a festival - I'm guessing it's not their hard earned cash that paid for them but their parents.

In answer to your question it happens at most festivals where kids and alcohol mix so far I've heard both WOMAD (the last place you'd expect) and Kendal Calling have had similar problems.

WOMAD actually have made the following statement:

I don't actually know what the solution is to stopping these gangs of young twats, but festivals have to try something.

[saratink]

Here is footage of the fire:

[pablo666]

Hi

I never heared about the ice cream van until smileydogs replyed. As for the stampede approx 30 nutters running around shouting stampede & battle metal throwing them selfs into the fences distroying the triangel strengtheners then seeing how many panels they could push over just all seems pointless why not waste your energy at the silent disco?

We did have some items nicked some food & a small table.

Saftey and security is paramont at festivals I would think that any body who was on there own on the last night would of been frightened and felt unsafe and probably think twice about camping on there own again at fetsivals.

After my ranting The main thing is now body got hurt or at least I think they didnt.

Like most peoeple family camping will be the place next year lets there will be plenty of room.

[5co77ie]

where was that? was it in the bottom corner of blue?

[Spiral_Low]

I don't actually know what the solution is to stopping these gangs of young twats, but festivals have to try something.

Edited August 6, 2010 by Spiral_Low