22 Injured During SYSTEM OF A DOWN's Performance At LEEDS Festival

August 22, 2003

22 people were injured at the Leeds music festival Friday (August 22) after a crush barrier collapsed during SYSTEM OF A DOWN's set, according to BBC News.

Eyewitnesses say the crowd surged forward as the band were performing on stage at Bramham Park, near Wetherby.

The American band stopped playing and asked the crowd to step back so that paramedics could get to the injured.

A West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: "In the main stage area the integrity of the barrier was broken resulting in a number of injuries to the crowd.

"In all 22 people were treated, the majority for minor lower limb injuries resulting in three patients being transferred to Harrogate District Hospital by the on-site medical team."

She added: "An organizer went on stage and told everybody what was going on and tried to reassure the crowd. METALLICA was on afterwards and they did go on to perform."

But Melvin Benn, of concert promoter Mean Fiddler Music Group, has insisted the barrier did not break.

He told PA News: "There was some movement in the barrier when the crowd surged forward. There was no collapse and it did not break."

He said the "pressure of the push" was the likely cause of the injuries, the worst of which amounted to two people suffering broken ankles.

West Yorkshire ambulance service has said the injured were taken to the medical tent for treatment shortly after 8:00 p.m. on Friday.

Pile drivers have been brought in to replace the crush barriers.

More than 50,000 people are expected to attend the three-day event which runs until Sunday.

The festival is being headlined by METALLICA, LINKIN PARK, and BLUR.

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