El Salvador stadium crush leaves at least twelve dead
May 21, 2023
BBC
At least twelve people have died after a crush at a football stadium in El Salvador’s capital, San Salvador, officials have said.
The incident occurred during a match between local team Alianza and the Santa Ana-based team Fas at Cuscatlán Stadium.
The match was subsequently suspended.
President Nayib Bukele described the event as “unprecedented”, and said an “exhaustive investigation” would be launched.
Police had earlier said that seven men and two women were among the dead, with all the victims over the age of 18.
The disaster reportedly occurred after a large number of fans tried to enter the venue after the gates had been closed.
Officials believe some fans had been sold fake tickets, and said that an investigation was under way.
Footage shared by local media appeared to show fans attempting to pull down barricades at the stadium’s entrance.
A livestream of the match posted on YouTube shows the match being suspended after an apparent commotion in the stands. People are later seen being carried away by emergency services on stretchers.
Fans are also seen waving their shirts at people on the ground to try and cool them down.
“It was an avalanche of fans who overran the gate,” a volunteer with the Rescue Commandos first aid group told journalists. “Some were still under the metal in the tunnel. Others managed to make it to the stands and then to the field and were smothered.”
President Bukele said “everyone” will be investigated, including teams, managers, stadium officials, the league and the federation.
“Whoever the culprits are, they will not go unpunished,” he said in comments posted to Twitter by his press secretary.
Officials also said that 90 people were being given medical attention, and that men, women and children had been treated for “multiple traumas”.
Luis Alonso Amaya, from the Civil Protection of El Salvador, said that about 500 people had been given medical treatment, with many transferred to hospital.
Health minister Francisco Alabi said that most of those injured are in a stable condition and that there have been no reports of deaths from hospitals.
The Salvadoran Soccer Federation said that all national level football matches on Sunday would be suspended. It also said it regretted what had happened and voiced support for the victims’ families.
El Salvador’s health minister, Francisco Alabi, tweeted that the government had deployed ambulances from nearby hospitals to the stadium with the injured being sent to different public institutions for treatment.
Mr Alabi also called for the public to cautiously evacuate the area to make it easier for medical teams to carry out care.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-65662194
Concert-goers slam poor messaging at storm-hit Fall Out Boy concert in Somerset, WI
Concert-goers slam poor messaging at storm-hit Fall Out Boy concert in Somerset, WI
-
Jul 17, 2023
Live Nation and the Somerset Amphitheater are facing some heat after a range of complaints were made by concertgoers attending the Fall Out Boy show on Thursday.
Severe weather moved through the area at the end of Bring Me The Horizon’s opening set, which then caused the venue to evacuate everyone to their vehicles and pause the night’s performances. Attendees were told to keep an eye on social media for updates, but many complained of having a lack of cell phone service in the area.
The show eventually resumed but some concertgoers were allegedly told by security and staff that the show was canceled, with some heading home as a result. Fallout Boy ended up playing a condensed version of their show, cutting their setlist in half, as time constraints prevented music being played after midnight.
The Somerset Amphitheater posted updates on social media, but those in attendance say it never made announcements over any speakers or on video boards.
Jayla Topel, of St. Paul, said she would’ve left if it weren’t for one of her friends in the group that had cell service.
“It was a whole mess. We were told to wait in our car and monitor social media, but there was no service for a good chunk of people. So [concertgoers] were asking staff about it and some [answered] ‘I don’t know’, some said ‘wait’ and others said [it was canceled],” Topel told Bring Me The News.
https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-lifestyle/concert-goers-slam-poor-messaging-at-storm-hit-fall-out-boy-concert-in-somerset-wi
Severe weather sparks fan chaos entering gate at Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami introduction
Severe weather sparks fan chaos entering gate at Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami introduction
July 16, 2023
Lionel Messi’s introduction to the Inter Miami faithful hit a little bit of a delay on Sunday as the South Florida rain pushed back the start of the event and sent fans scrambling through one of the gates at DRV PNK Stadium.
Video posted to Twitter by Magic City Soccer, appeared to show fans going through what looked to be an unmanned gate outside the stadium to enter the grounds to find cover from the torrential downpour.
La PresentaSíon, as it was dubbed by the team, was a ticketed event, with season ticket holders being given complimentary tickets and then a limited number of tickets were made available to the general public.
A previous video posted by the Magic City soccer account did appear to show a security guard originally at the gate as the sky began to open up.
“Security abandon their post as the worst of the weather came in,” the two videos were captioned. “Supporters breached the gates and passed security with no one on hand. This may be a problem.”
A follow-up tweet from the account explained that fans had rushed the gate to get out of the passing storm, but there had been no security inspection or anyone there to collect tickets.
The event had been scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, but rain forced a weather delay and fans had only started to be allowed to go to their seats around 7:30 p.m., according to soccer reporter Franco Panizo.
The tickets for Messi’s introduction had warned that the event would take place rain or shine due to South Florida’s unpredictable weather, according to World Soccer Talk.
https://nypost.com/2023/07/16/weather-sparks-fan-chaos-at-gate-for-lionel-messis-miami-event/
Inappropriate actions of security personnel
Shocking moment NYC SummerStage worker pepper sprays crowd after being called ‘f****t’ by concert goer as he accuses group of ‘bum-rushing’ gate and forcing a barricade on top of him
- A security guard pepper sprayed two concertgoers outside of free gig in New York City after he accused one of calling him a ‘f****t’
- The incident occurred Thursday amid chaos at a performance by Colombian singer Juanes which drew a crowd of 17,000 to a venue with a capacity of 5,000
- No arrests have been made as a result of the pepper spraying with police saying the security guard fled before officers arrived at the scene
By Paul Farrell For Dailymail.Com
Published: 12:01 EDT, 15 July 2023 | Updated: 12:37 EDT, 15 July 2023
The shocking moment where a concert goer was pepper sprayed by a security guard after the worker accused the person of calling him a ‘f****t’ was caught on camera.
The incident occurred in the midst of Colombian singer Juanes’ free gig in New York City‘s Central Park as part of the SummerStage concert series on Thursday. The event had to be abandoned because thousands had hopped fences in order to get in and created an unsafe environment, organizers said.
The video begins with the security worker accusing a group of ‘bum-rushing’ the gate and forcing a barrier on top of him. The man then points out one crowd member, alleging that person used a slur.
‘You called me a f****t? Done, done, done right now,’ he says. The man tells other crowd members to duck as he takes the spray from his pocket and yells: ‘B***h’ before storming away.
An attendee of the concert told the New York Post that security personnel were antagonizing the crowd. Isaac Carvajal said he was with his father, around 10 minutes from where the pepper spraying took place.
‘The security people were kind of teasing the crowds. They never said: “We are over capacity,”‘ Carvajal said.
An NYPD spokesperson confirmed that a man and a woman were hit by the spray both were treated at the venue. The security guard left before officers responded. At the time of writing no arrests have been made.
According to SummerStage officials, the security guard will not be permitted to work at future events. He was employed by an outside contractor.
‘We don’t in any way allow the use of mace or force. When we were made aware of the video that had been circulating and what had transpired, we immediately took action,’ a spokesperson told the Post.
The abandonment of the concert was the first time that a SummerStage gig was stopped for non-weather related reason.
There were 5,000 people inside the venue for the gig with a further 12,000 outside trying to get in. Juanes, 50, performed two songs before the event was called off.
‘Because people were climbing in through the bushes, going in over fences, pushing down the barricades … it’s lucky that it didn’t go worse than it did. Because if 12,000 people outside had managed to force their way in, there would have been a tragedy,’ attendee Pamela Mazza told Gothamist.
Mazza also said that despite Juanes’ popularity in Latin America, officials were slow to make an announcement in Spanish the concert was canceled calling it ‘cultural ignorance and incompetence.’
Another concertgoer told the website that there were only between two and six police officers present despite the swelling the crowd. Others described arguing, pushing and ‘fist-fighting’ amongst the crowd.
In response the NYPD told Gothamist that officers to not provide security for private events although officers were involved in the decision to call off the gig.
Queens resident Julisa Fernandez told the website that there were such panic among the crowd, rumors spread that someone was armed with a gun.
‘People were just jumping the barricades. And there were so many people pushing and shoving and kids got hurt too in front of us. … They got pushed around, and they also got scared,’ Fernandez said.
On stage, even Juanes became aware of the problems, telling the crowd from the stage to ‘be calm,’ reported Billboard.
‘If we are not calm, they are going to stop the concert. Many people were left outside without being able to enter. We want to continue with the show. It’s possible, right?,’ he said in Spanish.
He later told the magazine: ‘I’m sad because I was very eager to play.’
Billboard’s Isabela Raygoza said that outside the venue there no ‘proper measures’ for crowd control.
‘Outside they didn’t have the proper measures for security. So, I think a group of people stampeded inside the venue, so they knocked down a fence and obviously that compromises the safety of people that are already inside,’ she added.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12302285/Shocking-moment-NYC-SummerStage-worker-pepper-sprays-crowd-called-f-t.html
Juanes concert at outdoor N.Y. venue stopped after 2 songs due to excessive crowds
SummerStage halted Colombian superstar Juanes’ concert on Wednesday evening while he was performing his second song, citing concerns over excessive crowds.
The abrupt end was the first time in the annual summer series’ 30-year history that a performance had to be stopped for a nonweather related reason, Heather Lubov, executive director of the City Parks Foundation, said in a statement. The foundation is the nonprofit organization that organizes the free concerts throughout the city’s five boroughs.
“The Juanes show at SummerStage in Central Park drew a capacity crowd of 5,000 attendees inside the venue with an estimated overflow of 12,000 additional fans outside the gates,” Lubov said.
“During the performance of his second song, with continued crowds at the gates and out of an abundance of caution, the show was halted and fans were asked to leave the venue.”
Juanes performs at the Besame Mucho Festival in Los Angeles on Dec. 3.Scott Dudelson / Getty Images file
The show was put on in partnership with the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC).
Fans of the beloved singer-songwriter expressed their disappointment on social media.
“Very disrespectful of @SummerStage to end @JUANES’ concert in Central Park after 2 songs because they underestimated the amount of Latinos that would show up to this free concert,” one fan tweeted. “Like c’mon, he’s an international legend.”
“You can’t just have a free event for someone like @JUANES and not expect an insane turnout. It should’ve been a lottery system to avoid the crowd. It was scary!” another tweeted.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-york-juanes-concert-outdoor-venue-stopped-2-songs-due-excessive-cr-rcna94093
Spectator Stabbed at Levi’s Stadium During Mexico-Qatar Match
Spectator Stabbed at Levi’s Stadium During Mexico-Qatar Match
A man is recovering after he was stabbed during a fight at a game between Mexico and Qatar at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday.
Lt. Cuong Phan, a spokesperson for the Santa Clara Police Department, told SFGATE.com that the person who was stabbed suffered a “critical injury” to the upper torso and is recovering in an area hospital.
The Mexican soccer federation issued a statement Tuesday condemning violence among fans, after one Mexico fan stabbed another at a Sunday match at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
On Monday, Santa Clara police identified a suspect and a person of interest in the case and are seeking the public’s help in locating them, the NBC affiliate in San Francisco KNTV reported. The suspect is described as a man between 25 and 35 years old, with short, dark-colored hair, and a thin mustache and beard. He was last seen wearing a green Mexico jersey. A person of interest in the case was described as a woman with dark-colored hair and a similar Mexico jersey.
Videos circulating on social media on Monday appear to show a large fight breaking out in the stands. The Santa Clara Police Department has not confirmed if the stabbing occurred during the footage in question. KNTV reported that the wound appeared to be near the man’s neck or upper torso, and it could be seen spurting blood.
The victim told KNTV on Wednesday that he is grateful to be alive. He said the object he was stabbed with was a large pocket knife. It wasn’t clear how someone was able to get that kind of weapon past stadium security.
https://www.athleticbusiness.com/operations/safety-security/article/15541741/spectator-stabbed-at-levis-stadium-during-mexicoqatar-match?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ATHLCD230705003&utm_term=&oly_enc_id=0795F0391467A9T
2 Killed, 3 Injured In Shooting Outside Beyond Wonderland Festival At the Gorge
- Associated Press
- 06/18/2023
After the initial shots were fired, the suspect started moving through the campground and “continued to shoot randomly into the crowd” until he was eventually confronted by police and taken into custody, Foreman said.
The suspect was shot in the confrontation with police, Foreman said. The suspect was hospitalized for his injuries, but no further details were immediately released.
A public alert had advised people that there was an active shooter in the area and to “run, hide or fight,” but Foreman said there was no effort to evacuate the festival. The festival continued following the shooting and did not end until early Sunday morning, Foreman said.
“He was, again, on the periphery of the property. Law enforcement had eyes on him, and they were able to keep him in that area. He wasn’t moving toward the venue,” Foreman said.
Details on the victims would be released at a later time, Foreman said.
Organizers of the Beyond Wonderland electronic music festival said on social media that Sunday’s events at the Gorge were canceled.
Concert organizers described the shooting site as an “overflow camping area,” and most people who were staying there were likely at the concert when the shooting occurred, Foreman said.
An independent oversight group, the North Central Washington Special Investigation Unit, is investigating the shooting. https://news.pollstar.com/2023/06/18/2-killed-3-injured-in-shooting-at-beyond-wonderland-festival-at-the-gorge/
Hit-and-Run Driver Injures at Least Four People in Crowd Outside Guaranteed Rate Field
Four people standing in a crowd just outside the White Sox baseball stadium in Chicago were struck and injured by a hit-and-run driver Tuesday evening.
A driver headed east in the 300 block of West 35th Street struck the pedestrians just after 6:30 p.m., Chicago police and fire officials said, as reported by the Chicago Sun Times.
One of the pedestrians who was struck went into the air and through the vehicle’s sunroof inside the vehicle in the crash, officials said. He was taken in serious condition to University of Chicago Medical Center, fire officials said.
The Sun Times reported that three others were also hospitalized. A 51-year-old woman was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition, a 24-year-old man and a 25-year-old man, were taken to Stroger Hospital in fair and critical condition, police said.
“Our hearts go out to the four fans who were injured this evening, their families and friends, as well as the fans who witnessed the incident on their way to a baseball game,” the White Sox said in a statement. “The Chicago White Sox organization expresses its appreciation to the Chicago Police Department, the Chicago Fire Department, the Illinois State Police and others, including fans, who responded to the incident and provided immediate care for the victims.”
The driver fled the scene and crashed on the Dan Ryan Expressway near 46th Street, police said. The male driver and three others in the car — two men, 23 and 25, and a 20-year-old woman —were taken to a nearby hospital in fair condition, officials said, as reported by the Sun Times. Police did not release the age of the driver.
https://www.athleticbusiness.com/operations/safety-security/article/15540972/hitandrun-driver-injures-at-least-four-people-in-crowd-outside-guaranteed-rate-field?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ATHLCD230621002&utm_term=&oly_enc_id=0795F0391467A9T
At least 12 dead in stampede at El Salvador stadium
May 20 (Reuters) – At least 12 people died and an unspecified number were injured in a stampede at a soccer stadium in El Salvador on Saturday, the Central American country’s government said.
Alianza FC and Club Deportivo FAS were playing the second leg of their playoff quarter-final game at the Cuscatlan stadium in San Salvador, the country’s capital, when play was suspended after a stampede broke out in the general section.
The venue is one of the largest stadiums in Central America and has an official capacity of more than 44,000 fans.
“The Salvadoran Football Federation deeply regrets the events that occurred at the Cuscatlan Stadium,” the organisation wrote on Twitter.
“It also expresses solidarity with the relatives of those affected and deceased in this incident.”
The federation added that they would immediately request a report on the incident while also suspending the tournament after Saturday’s events, calling for a meeting with the Security Commission of Sports Venues on Sunday.
Soccer’s world governing body FIFA lamented the events and said a minute’s silence would be held before Sunday’s four matches at the U-20 World Cup in Argentina.
[1/4] A fan is attended to in an ambulance following a stampede prior to a soccer game between C.D. FAS Vs. Alianza F.C. at the Cuzcatlan stadium, in San Salvador, El Salvador May 20, 2023. REUTERS/ Jose Cabezas
“I extend my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims who lost their lives following the tragic incidents that have taken place in El Salvador,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino in a statement.
The continental soccer governing body CONCACAF, which also expressed its condolences, said it would support the investigation into the incident.
“The safety of participants and fans attending football matches is of utmost importance.
“The Confederation will fully support all efforts to clarify what happened and to implement measures to prevent such incidents in the future,” it said in a statement.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said the National Civil Police and the Attorney General’s Office would conduct a “thorough investigation” into the events at the stadium.
“Everyone will be investigated: teams, managers, stadium, box office, league, federation, etc. Whoever the culprits are, they will not go unpunished,” Bukele wrote on Twitter.
The incident comes after a deadly stampede last year killed 135 spectators at a stadium in Indonesia’s East Java in October. Many were crushed as they fled for exits after police fired tear gas into the crowd.
New York State Approves Spectator Behavior Policy
New York State Approves Spectator Behavior Policy
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association has approved a new spectator sportsmanship policy that will go into effect at the start of the 2023-24 school year.
The three-tiered policy established guidelines for the discipline and reprimanding of poor behaviors by spectators. The behaviors range from verbal harassment to racist and sexist behavior to harassment of players, coaches or officials.
NYSPHSAA executive director Robert Zayas said the policy has been debated for at least the last two years.
“As we’ve seen spectator behavior decline, we realized the need to give some support to athletic administrators and site supervisors, to take action against fans that are making the student-athlete experience unsafe,” Zayas told The Buffalo News. “At times, sportsmanship is an issue at games and at events, and it’s not fair to the student-athletes. What this policy does, it gives the athletic director and site supervisors a policy to go off.
“In the past, this was done on a case-by-case basis. If one school did it, another school took a different tack. This formalizes what the process is.”
The NYSPHSAA policy outlines three levels of discipline.
- A first warning means spectators will be directed to refrain from further comments or actions.
- A second warning results in a personal discussion that addresses the behavior, between site administrators and the spectators.
- The third action results in removal from an event. If the spectator or spectators refuse to leave the facility, then play will be stopped until they have left.
Zayas said the policy doesn’t have to be three-tiered, either, and that varying degrees of punitive measures can be used. For example, if someone uses racial and derogatory language at an event, that individual can be ejected without the warnings.
Any spectator who has been cited and wishes to return to events will need to complete the NFHS’ Parental Credential course, which involves two, one-hour online programs that address expectations for behavior at events.
If the individual declines to take the course, he/she will be barred for at least one game.
https://www.athleticbusiness.com/operations/governing-bodies/article/15448089/new-york-state-approves-spectator-behavior-policy?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ATHLCD230522003&utm_term=&oly_enc_id=0795F0391467A9T