Organisers of the Ghana Party in the Park festival in north London have issued a formal apology after a crowd surge at the entrance left 23 people injured, three of whom were taken to hospital. The incident occurred on Saturday at Copthall Playing Fields in Barnet, prompting the early closure of the event.
Chaos at the Festival Entrance
Footage shared on social media showed attendees in distress, with some falling to the ground and others shouting in fear as the surge unfolded. An 18-year-old attendee described the scene as "very chaotic" and criticised the festival's organisation, according to a report by the Mirror.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing medical personnel carrying injured individuals from the venue on stretchers. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that officers attended the scene, and the London Ambulance Service assessed nine people at the site.
Official Response and Apology
In a statement posted on the festival's Instagram page, organisers said: "Yesterday was one of the most difficult days in the history of Ghana Party in the Park. First and foremost, our thoughts are with everyone who was injured, distressed or otherwise affected by the events that took place."
They added: "Seeing members of our community impacted in this way has been deeply upsetting. We sincerely apologise and our hearts go out to everyone involved. We wish those who sustained injuries a full and speedy recovery and extend our sincere support to their families, friends and loved ones."
Speculation of Stabbing Dismissed
Both the festival organisers and the Metropolitan Police moved to quash rumours of a stabbing at the event. The police statement said: "Speculation about a stabbing is inaccurate. Please help us by avoiding the area."
The organisers' statement echoed this: "We are also aware of inaccurate information circulating on social media. We can confirm that there were no stabbing incidents at the festival and no fatalities occurred."
Earlier Fire Incident
Earlier in the day, a fire involving a vendor's stall temporarily halted the festival. The London Fire Brigade and event safety teams responded, and operations resumed once the area was declared safe.
The organisers explained: "Earlier in the day a fire involving a vendors [sic] required a temporary pause to the festival while the London Fire Brigade emergency services and our event safety teams responded. Once the incident had been addressed and the affected area declared safe normal event operations resumed."
Decision to Close Early
Following the crowd surge, emergency services—including the Metropolitan Police, London Ambulance Service, London Fire Brigade, and the Air Ambulance—were called to the scene. After discussions with these agencies and the event management company, organisers took the "difficult decision" to close the festival early in the interest of public safety.
The statement noted: "Later in the day a crowd surge at the festival entrance resulted in several attendees sustaining injuries. Emergency services responded immediately... Following discussions with the emergency services and our events management company the difficult decision was taken to bring the festival to an early close in the interests of public safety."
Medical Assistance and Hospitalisations
A total of 23 people received assistance from emergency services or the event medical team. Nine were assessed by the London Ambulance Service, and three were transported to hospital with non-life-threatening conditions.
The Metropolitan Police in Barnet confirmed: "Officers are at Copthall Playing Fields where Ghana Party in the Park has been cancelled after an overcrowding issue at the entrance saw several people sustain non-life threatening injuries."
The event, which has celebrated Ghanaian culture for over two decades, was held in conjunction with ShattaFest this year. Organisers emphasised their commitment to safety, stating: "For more than twenty years, Ghana Party in the Park has celebrated Ghanaian culture, music, and community, welcoming thousands of people in a safe and positive environment."
