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Congress demands answers over Astroworld tragedy

Committee on oversight and reform sends open letter to Live Nation requesting information regarding the promoter's role in the disaster

By James Hanley on 23 Dec 2021

Travis Scott has enjoyed a successful run in the Middle East

Travis Scott


image © Frank Schwichtenberg

The US Congress has written to Live Nation to demand answers over the Astroworld tragedy.

Ten people, aged between nine and 27, died and hundreds of others were injured following a crowd crush during Travis Scott’s headline set at NRG Park in Houston, Texas.

In an open letter addressed to Live Nation president and CEO Michael Rapino, the committee on oversight and reform have requested information “regarding the roles and responsibilities for Astroworld Festival, security planning for the event, and the steps Live Nation Entertainment took after being made aware that law enforcement had declared the event a ‘mass casualty event'”.

We are committed to investigating what went wrong to inform possible reforms that could prevent future tragedies

“Recent reports raise serious concerns about whether your company took adequate steps to ensure the safety of the 50,000 concertgoers who attended Astroworld Festival,” reads the letter, signed by members of the committee.

“For instance, reports indicate that security and medical staff were inexperienced or ill-equipped to deal with mass injuries. Some attendees stated that the placement of barricades made it difficult to escape. Experts have stated that Astroworld Festival organisers failed to heed warning signs.”

The letter adds the tragedy follows “a long line of other tragic events and safety violations involving Live Nation”,  stating the promoter has been “fined or sued numerous times over safety issues at previous events, including other incidents involving surging fans or stampedes”.

Members add: “We are deeply saddened by the deaths that occurred at Astroworld Festival and are committed to investigating what went wrong to inform possible reforms that could prevent future tragedies.”

The committee has asked Live Nation to respond by 7 January 2022.

Live Nation and its Scoremore subsidiary deny all allegations against them relating to the 5 November disaster.

 


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