Riot broke out at Hot 97’s Summer Jam annual concert Sunday. Police used tear gas, pepper spray and a LRAD sound cannon to try and disperse a group of around 2,000 people — by police estimates.
The disturbance started about 7 p.m., when a fight broke out among concertgoers and police shut the gates to prevent more people from going in. Fences and metal barriers were trampled in the surge of people angered that they could not get in.
One group of concertgoers said they had paid $1,400 to charter a bus to bring them to the stadium from Brooklyn, in addition to as much as $600 each for tickets to the event. But when they arrived they found the venue locked down and they were unable to get in.
“We paid $250 each for the VIP area and when we got here we couldn’t even get in,” said Iris Castro of Long Island, who was treating her sister as a birthday gift. Castro said when she asked who to see about a refund, she was told to call Ticketmaster. She said she had seen two people being pepper-sprayed by police.
Eric De La Cruz, 19, of Woodbridge Township, said he had been hired to shoot video for one of the artists at the concert, but when he arrived he found the gates closed. After about an hour, he said, people began to get angry and started throwing bottles and overturning trash cans.
Upon being pushed back by the riot police’s use of chemicals, the people began to riot and throw bottles at police officers.
Multiple arrests have been made outside Summer Jam and at least one journalist reported being hit with a riot shield by police when attempting to photograph.
Videos and photos posted to social media live from Summer Jam have been the primary means for information. On-the-ground users are documenting the confrontation with police that appears still be continuing outside of the MetLife stadium.
Armored vehicle using an LRAD – blocking the entrance to MetLife Stadium tonight. #SummerJam – pic.twitter.com/9xxrLJpN7s V @DailyRapFacts
— Revolution News (@NewsRevo) June 8, 2015
RT @SarahDuvi People throwing glass bottles at police and rioting at MetLife stadium #summerjam – pic.twitter.com/ItgErAfg9W
— Revolution News (@NewsRevo) June 8, 2015
#fuck the police #Summerjam #Hot97 @worldstar.hh
A video posted by CRAZE-A 730 (@crazea730) on Jun 7, 2015 at 5:51pm PDT
It’s a fucking riot outside of Met Life man. People rioting. Throwing bottles at the cops pic.twitter.com/G5w5t9NIbb
— Ty Ty (@KaylarWill) June 8, 2015
Police RIGHT NOW outside of Hot 97 Summer Jam…. pic.twitter.com/JKHGOZRCAq
— DJ Akademiks (@IamAkademiks) June 8, 2015
A video posted by Nathan Tempey (@nathantempey) on Jun 7, 2015 at 7:24pm PDT
Source Article from http://revolution-news.com/riot-at-summer-jam-concert-when-ticket-holders-denied-entry/
Views: 0