ShattaFest, a major event held as part of the annual Ghana Party in the Park festival in the United Kingdom, was cancelled after UK police shut down the event over serious safety concerns caused by overcrowding.
According to police, the venue exceeded its approved capacity, prompting authorities to intervene after a stampede was reported at the festival grounds.
In a statement, the organisers, Ghana Party in the Park, confirmed the disruption and urged patrons not to travel to the venue while emergency services responded to the incident.
“Due to a major incident at the festival site, the event has been temporarily paused. Please do not travel to or come to the festival site until further notice,” the organisers said.
They added that emergency services and the relevant authorities were working to bring the situation under control.
“We kindly ask everyone to stay away from the area to allow them to carry out their work safely. We will provide further updates as soon as more information becomes available. Thank you for your patience, understanding and cooperation.”
The organisers have not indicated whether the event will be rescheduled or whether ticket holders will receive refunds.
ShattaFest was expected to feature Ghanaian dancehall superstar Shatta Wale as one of the headline performers, drawing thousands of fans from across the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe.
Authorities have not officially confirmed the number of injuries or whether any arrests were made following the incident.
However, in a video circulating on social media, a UK police officer explained that the event was cancelled after a stampede resulted in multiple injuries.
“There’s been a massive accident, a stampede which led to quite a lot of people getting hurt, and for that reason and for public safety it has to be shut down,” the officer said.
Further updates are expected as investigations into the incident continue.