Godiva Festival 2024 organizers say ‘safety is top priority’ after stage closed due to noise

Organizers of the 2024 Godiva Festival have issued a statement regarding the commotion that marred Saturday’s festivities. Families reported children were left in tears as “hundreds” of youngsters made their way to the main stage as Paloma Faith performed.

Some said they were forced to flee as families were trampled as security officers rushed to put an end to the huge mess. The Next Stage had to be closed for safety reasons.

In a statement to CoventryLive, a spokesman for Coventry City Council said those involved in the incident had been “removed from the scene”. They added that only one accident was reported.

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They added that safety was their “top priority” and assured those present for the final day today (7 July) that it was a “safe environment” for all. The board’s full statement is as follows:

“The Next Stage was closed early at Godiva Festival on Saturday night due to crowd disturbances. Security teams quickly intervened and an attempt was made to restart the show before the decision was made to close the stage.

“Those involved in the incident were expelled from the scene and the crowds were dispersed. A minor injury was reported and no arrests have been made.”

“Participant safety is always our top priority and the entire site is under surveillance at all times by the event’s security team. We would like to reassure attendees that Godiva Festival is a safe environment for festival-goers of all ages and remind those on site that any behavior of concern can be reported to a member of the security team.”

Police statement

CoventryLive contacted West Midlands Police about the incident and a spokesman said: “We have been alerted to potential disturbances near the scene.

“Officers quickly arrived in the area to provide support if required, but their assistance was not required at the scene and no criminal offenses were disclosed to them. We continue to support the security staff to ensure this is a safe and enjoyable event.

“It was great to see thousands of people, including many families, having such a good time.”

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