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Riots Erupt at Breakout Festival After Headliners Pull Out
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A violent riot erupted at Vancouver’s Breakout Festival on Sunday night after hip-hop headliner Lil Baby canceled his performance last minute as “he was too sick to perform.”
Lil Baby was supposed to close the weekend-long festival, but organizers announced the sudden cancellation half an hour before the scheduled show was supposed to end.
Social media footage shows how angry festival-goers start booing after learning that the hip-hop artist won’t be performing.
The protest for refunds quickly turned into chaos when hundreds of attendees engaged in vandalism.
Videos flooding the internet display how garbage bins and food vendor kiosks get overturned while festival-goers knocked down tents and wrecked drinks machines as the crowds cheered them on.
According to Vancouver Transit Police, hundreds of people destroyed a big chunk of the PNE Amphitheater, causing damage worth thousands of dollars.
They further stated that seven people got arrested for breach of peace.
Vancouver PC Tanya Visintin said that although no major injuries occurred, the police will conduct a criminal investigation.
“We will conduct a full and thorough investigation into the actions of anyone who destroyed property, put concert-goers in danger, or committed other criminal acts.”
Festival-goers who traveled from across the province and paid up to $350 for a ticket demanded partial refunds, as Lil Baby wasn’t Breakout Festival’s only no-show.
American rapper Lil Uzi Vert, who was supposed to headline during the first day, canceled his performance a week before the hip-hop fest kicked off. Polo G and Sofaygo also pulled out.
On Monday, Lil Baby posted a social media apology, saying he has been “going hard these past few months” and that his body “completely shut down.”
The American rapper was reportedly partying with Travis Scott in Las Vegas the night before his Breakout Festival performance.
Breakout Festival also issued a statement on social media, calling the riot “the worst case scenario.” The post further states that festival organizers are “utterly disappointed” with how attendees handled the situation, saying they “did everything in our power to make every festival a success.”
According to the statement, information regarding party refunds is on the way.
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