Frightened parents contacted police and told their children to leave Reading Festival after tents were reportedly set alight and fights broke out.
The disruptions among some of the music fans in multiple areas of the campsite reportedly began at around 4pm on Sunday afternoon. A number of videos posted online showed crowds of young men and smaller numbers of women gathered throwing chairs and other objects into flames that had been lit next to tents.
Some people on Twitter said that tents had deliberately been set on fire. Festival-goer Amber Vellacott, 26, said she and her boyfriend decided to head to their car at around 7pm on Sunday as they feared the violence would continue to escalate.
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She told the Mirror : “We saw fires start at about 4pm in various camps, the crews & security were fast on them, but all the kids were surrounding and egging it on, throwing rubbish & cans into them.
“We felt the whole vibe of the camp sites change, and when we saw people start picking up tents and rubbish, throwing them into the trees & across the camps, we thought it was best to pack up and head out - annoyingly so!
“But it just didn’t feel safe for two grown adults, let alone all the kids there. When we left at about 7pm, there was a fair bit of security but not masses. More volunteers who dare not get involved - and I can’t blame them.”
The marketing manager added that it was evident the disorder “would get worse” once headline act The 1975 had finished their set.
Fighting among festivalgoers and looting from tents was also said to have taken place. Mum Michelle Farmer wrote on Twitter: “Got a call last night from my son & friends asking to come pick them up early from Reading Festival. They said it was no longer safe being there with tents being set on fire.”
Jo50G said: “I called the police from home to get to Reading Festival as my daughter was so scared in purple camp in the middle of this afternoon…they couldn’t get out their tent for missiles being thrown and tents being set alight…shocking behaviour…security should be about surely???”
Becki said: “The bands tonight were incredible but f****** h***, walking through the campsites back to the car seeing people set fire to tents with people in them and no one doing anything?
Mia tweeted the festival organisers saying: “I think you need to look into the campsite situation and rethink your demographic for next year, because this is not it. The entire crowd vibe was off this year, tents being set on fire, young girls feeling so unsafe they had to leave early etc.”
Max Bradley added: “People have acted like this for years. Same when I was there 2007 and 2008.” Gridlock has been reported in festival car parks as music fans try and leave the site.
Scenes of disorder have been reported at Reading Festival on several occasions over the past two decades, with reports of tent fires and antisocial behaviour most often coming on the infamous final night.
Police at sister event Leeds Festival confirmed on Sunday that a 16-year-old boy had died following a suspected drugs overdose. High-profile acts at this year’s Reading & Leeds weekend included Arctic Monkeys, Megan Thee Stallion, Dave and Bring Me The Horizon.
Festival organisers had been persuaded to offer refunds to some disgruntled fans in the lead-up to the event after Måneskin, Jack Harlow and Rage Against The Machine all cancelled their performances.
Thames Valley Police has been contacted for comment.
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