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 BREAKING: Akon Concert Ends In Violence, 18 People Injured
10/27/2009
An Akon concert ended in violence from Australia as a brawl took place which resulted in a reported 18 people getting injured.
The brawl reportedly was set off by individuals attempting to enter the Melbourne concert.
Police were called to Melbourne Park about 9:00pm AEDT after a group of up to 50 people rushed security guards to gain entry to the concert. Eighteen people, including two security guards, were injured in several fights inside and outside the venue. Eight of them needed hospital treatment. (ABC Online)
Akon was also involved in the brawl as he attempted to calm the crowd.
Footage of the show already posted on YouTube shows the rapper walking through the crowd calling on them to "calm down", and while the brawling in the centre appears to calm briefly, his walk through the throng of people also seems to excite the crowd more. Akon promoter Dwayne Cross said his charge had risked his own safety to calm the crowd. "One of the things people should take note on is an artist didn't have too much concern for his own safety to go down and try and make things better." (Herald Sun)
Information on the injuries has landed online.
Police have confirmed two security guards were among at least 18 people who needed medical treatment as a result of violence. Nine people were taken to hospital in the bloody aftermath of the show. They received lacerations, bruising and facial injuries as they stopped at least 50 people trying to force their way into the venue about 9pm. One man was arrested in connection with the assault on the security guard. (Australia News)
Speculation on what other actions took place have also been reported.
He told the audience it had taken him two years to play in Australia and he was not going to let anyone "f--- up" the gig. The police spokeswoman said six people had reported being assaulted and she believed up to 18 had been injured. Angry crowd members, who paid $125 to see Akon and fellow rapper T-Pain, have said they feared for their safety as security staff became outnumbered by the battling fans. (The Age)
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