A successful event not only involves extensive planning and mapping from event security, but also requires in-depth calculations and precise timing. Security teams must execute these initiatives in tandem, as just one misstep, one miscalculation, may spell disaster and death for parties involved. 

December 31st 2014, Shanghai – one of the most populated cities in the world, gearing up to celebrate one more rotation of the rock beneath our feet around the ball of fire in our solar system – that’s right, New Year’s Eve. We all know that jittery feeling, the butterflies that sprout in our stomachs as the clock slowly ticks toward midnight. Seconds become minutes, minutes become hours, as for just a brief night, the world holds its breath in anticipation and excitement for what’s to come. 

It’s 11:35 – crowds of people begin to rush toward “the iconic riverfront promenade, known as the Bund”, to watch the annual riverfront light show.  [https://www.cnn.com/2015/01/21/world/china-shanghai-stampede/index.html]. There was just one, tiny issue officials forgot to convey – the light show was just cancelled….with no official announcement. 

Imagine this scene: Thousands of people, phone cameras at the ready, rush toward the riverfront promenade, eager to catch a glimpse of the infamous light show, while thousands of other people, armed with the knowledge of the cancelation, rush away from the riverfront, down a staircase in an attempt to leave the venue. Chaos, Panic, and Mayhem ensue. Even worse, it was reported that flyers and tickets were being thrown into the crowd, which happened to look like Chinese dollars – this only escalated the chaos. Distraught onlookers captured the chaos, which you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ano0Xr9_mw4. 

The Aftermath was just as tragic – the WSJ tweeted out that the stampede (yes, you read that right – stampede, akin to the one killed Moufasa, and in this case, far more deadly) killed 36 people, and injured some 47 others. [https://twitter.com/wsj/status/550599272706895872] [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-30646918]. But, wait – where was the security? Was this not an annual light show that thousands upon thousands of people attend each and every year? Where was riot control? Where was crowd control? Well it just so happens that Chinese officials grossly underestimated the attendance, and decided to understaff the event due to the last-minute cancelation of the light show that no one knew about….I know, I don’t understand it either. [https://www.cnn.com/2014/12/31/world/asia/china-shanghai-new-years-stampede/]. 

What can we learn from the Shanghai Stampede? That tragedy can happen in the blink of an eye – and we must be prepared for the worst, at all times. A year after the festivals conclusion, multiple news sources, including China Xinhua News, tweeted out that there would be no New Year’s celebration in the following years [https://twitter.com/XHNews/status/681742721350909952]. Many issues can happen when it comes to an event or concert, and we must make sure all of actions promote safety. Just recently, a Chinese millionaire was seen throwing cash off the roof of his building – an onlooker captured the scene, drawing comparisons to the Shanghai Stampede [https://twitter.com/murdochsj/status/1074781255026147328]. 

When it comes to event security, you do not understaff, you overstaff, and prepare for the worst. You give public announcement that are sure to be heard, and you make sure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to an event, let alone New Years Eve. 

The Complete Timeline of Jussie Smollett’s Alleged Attack

For the past eight months, Jussie Smolett has been engulfed in the public eye, through his lengthy legal battle against the city of Chicago under the accusation of filing a false criminal report. In light of the recent hate crimes that have occurred at prominent rap concerts and music festivals (we’re talking about you Lizzo, [https://oddcrimes.com/static/2019/08/22/Columbus-woman-claims-assault-in-hate-crime-after-Lizzo-concert.php] & and you Die Antwoord [https://edm.com/news/die-antwoord-video-hate-crime]), it is refreshing to see the confirmation of hate crime claims, and to see the perpetrator rightly processed and dealt with legally. But in some cases, criminal accusations are not as they appear. How can security make sure to keep a pulse on an event, gathering, or even situation, so that in the face of a mishap or criminal issue, we are not blinded by the light and can sift through the hogwash to find out what actually occurred? If you have not heard of Jussie Smollett and his criminal situation – read below, as we examine each detail of the alleged hate crime turned boy who cried wolf.

  
The First Act – A Sob Story 

January 22nd: It always starts small…on January 22nd, it was reported that Jussie’s studio where Empire is filmed, Fox, received a nasty hate letter that contained vulgar slurs concerning race and sexuality. There also happened to be a white, powdery substance all over the letter, which hilariously, turned out to be just some simple OTC Tylonol. [https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/empire-star-brutally-attacked-hospitalized-hate-crime-60701735] See the scholar-grade letter below: 

January 29th – 31st: Day of the crime. Jussie is allegedly attacked at 2AM near his apartment in Chicago. It was reported that two men “attacked the actor, poured “an unknown chemical substance” on him, possibly bleach, and wrapped a rope around his neck, Smollett told police. The rope was still around Smollett’s neck when he was found, officials said.” [https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/empire-star-brutally-attacked-hospitalized-hate-crime-60701735] 

Police then tweet that they have found two persons of interest, and are actively looking for any information related to the two suspects. [https://twitter.com/AJGuglielmi/status/1090787128030781441?s=20]. 

Jussie, the very next day, releases a public statement affirming his claims, saying he is working with the authorities (as a detective?) and promises he is very truthful and swears he isn’t lying (not a single person accused him of lying in the first place): “I am working with authorities and have been 100% factual and consistent on every level. [https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/empire-star-jussie-smollett-believes-justice-served-brutal/story?id=60781211]

February 4th: Things begin to seem suspicious. Chicago PD release the initial incident report, in which apparently Jussie was reluctant to report the crime, and then 60 minutes later, when the police arrived at Jussie’s apartment, he was “still wearing the rope around his neck.” [https://abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-alleged-jussie-smollett-attack/story?id=61124090]. Even more fishy, it was also reported that Smollet requested the Chicago PD officers to turn off their body cameras when taking his incident report. [http://www.cwbchicago.com/2019/01/update-tv-star-told-cops-to-turn-off.html]

Second Act – Confliction and Confusion Mid February: Things begin to heat up in this ongoing case. Apparently, Chicago PD had prior knowledge of who the alleged two suspects were, and had been following them for quite some time. On February 15th, police announced that they have identified the perps, and are currently questioning them per the assault. [https://abcnews.go.com/US/chicago-pd-locate-persons-interest-alleged-racist-attack/story?id=61075518]. February 16th: Police release names and pictures of the two suspects in the Jussie Smollet hate crime case – they are named as brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo. 

These clearly racist, KKK trump supporters then go on to tell police officials that Smollet paid them to help orchestrate and stage the crime – shocking. [https://abcnews.go.com/US/brothers-police-empire-actor-jussie-smollett-paid-orchestrate/story?id=61136630] 

February 21st: Smollet turns himself into Chicago Police on charges of filing a false report – again, shocking.

Final Act – Drop (Charges) and Run
March 1st: Ola and Abel Osundairo issue an apology, saying they deeply regret being involved in this situation. [https://pagesix.com/2019/03/01/brothers-say-they-have-tremendous-regret-after-jussie-smollett-hoax/?utm_campaign=iosapp&utm_source=twitter_app]. 

March 26th: Smollet, prepared to go to court and face 16 counts of felony charges, catches the biggest break of his life. The prosecutors decide to drop all charges on Smolett, as they stated: “We believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case.” [https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/03/jussie-smollett-charges-dropped]. Smollet gets off scott free with no criminal charges, albit his forever tarnished name and reputation. 

Since Then: Smollet is dropped from Empire. We have scarcely heard from him since. 
After extensive analysis on my part, this is my synopsis of the claim Jussie first made: Two racist, trump supporters, walking down a Chicago street at 2AM in February, which recorded sub-zero temperatures at the time, happened to recognize a minor character from an all-black tv show. They then proceeded to put on some ski-masks, toss a pre-tied noose they just happen to have on their person, around his neck, whipped out a barrel of bleach they also happened to have, poured it on him, then screamed “this is MAGA country” as they don two MAGA hats they happen to have, in downtown Chicago, a blue city.

This is a tough pill to swallow, no? A big initial misstep on the part of Chicago PD led to months of public litigation, only to find all charges were dropped, and the story erased from our minds. As a police force, or even a security team – we must be better. We must lay all of the facts on the table, and ensure that the right person is convicted of their crime before it blows up in the public eye. The question remains: How can we make sure a debacle like this doesn’t happen again? 

Communication is key – be it for your relationship with a significant other, how you handle responsibility at work, or even that one-off text to your grandmother letting her know you’re still alive – communication lies in the center of success. When it comes to guaranteeing the safety of an event or function, tight lines of communication amongst all parties involved, coordinator and attendants alike, will determine if an event is successful or not. 
To drive this point home, let us examine an instance in which communication faltered, and mayhem ensued. December 31st 2014, Shanghai – Thousands of people attend the annual riverfront promenade, eager to catch a glimpse of the infamous light show on New Year’s Eve. As Midnight approaches, crowds of people begin to rush down the promenade and up a staircase toward the riverfront. Suddenly, thousands of other attendees begin to rush AWAY from the riverfront, and down that same staircase. The outcome is what is known today as the Shanghai Stampede. Unbeknownst to half the attendees, and due to horrible communication from security, the light show was actually cancelled without an official announcement. No lines of public-facing communication were established, which saw a half and half split of attendees running toward and away from the riverfront, into a head-on stampede, killing 36 people, and injured some 47 others.[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-30646918].

You see, not only is it important to have open lines of communication internally, but it is just as important, if not more important, to have open lines of communication to the public in case of any updates or scheduling changes that inevitably occur. Internally, you must make sure everyone is on the same page. As noted in the event safety blog on Social Tables: “Your staff needs to stay in constant communication. Be sure each staff member has a walkie-talkie.” https://www.socialtables.com/blog/event-planning/event-security-101/.
With consistent, open lines of communication, any hint of issues or danger can be effectively communicated throughout the internal team, and in many cases, requires updates or scheduling changes that must be clearly conveyed to the public. BrooklynVegan, a prominent music blog, noted the importance of communication during an emergency schedule change of a political speaking event at NYU: “Mayor Bill de Blasio today requested that NYU postpone and reschedule the classroom appearance by Milo Yiannopoulos for public safety reasons in light of the nearby Halloween parades and NYPD assessments of risk. Given the importance of close coordination between NYU’s Public Safety personnel and the NYPD to ensuring safety, the University agreed to the postponement.” http://www.brooklynvegan.com/milo-yiannopoulos-nyu-appearance-cancelled-over-safety-concerns/

 A prime example of effective communication, safety concerns were noted by NYU Security, effectively communicated to the NYPD, in which this coloborative effort led to the decision to postpone, and eventually cancel this event. 
Another example of incredibly diligent security measures occurred just this Summer, during a scheduled rap concert hosting the infamous Cardi B. Just thirty minutes before the scheduled start time of the concert in Indianapolis, attendees were notified that, “due to security threats”, the concert would be postponed and moved to a later date. [https://www.complex.com/music/2019/07/cardi-b-indianapolis-show-postponed-over-security-threat]. Though surly a bummer for fans excited to see their favorite stripper-turned-rapper, guaranteed safety for all parties involved is of foremost importance. Below you can see the incredible communication put on display by this obviously veteran concert staff and security teams. 

    Agreed upon by any publication outlining how to run a tight-ship at an event, communication is key to ensuring the safety of all parties involved. Be diligent internally to make sure everyone is on the same page, and be gracious to your attendees by letting them know what is happening – fast. Not only will your event run without a hitch, but your customers will leave happy, informed, and eager to come back next time.

To help add to the experience of this site, I have added a couple links to relevant blogs that talk about events, venues or other relevant topics.

• BrooklynVegan

A blog all about music that covers a ton of live events, especially ones in NYC

• Complex

Huge media blog covers everything from sports to music. Any catastrophic event that occurs at a concert or a sporting event will be covered on here. Some good bloggers to follow on Complex include Jose Martinez and Shawn Setaro.

• Concert Crap

Blog that covers all sorts of recent concerts. They review the shows and what went wrong at them.

• Concerts Reddit

Although not exactly a blog, this is the Reddit forum where users talk all about concerts and where you can find information about any mishappening at a concert.

• Consequence of Sound

Another blog all about music and live events.

• Fans Against Violence

An organization that hopes to improve the safety of game day experiences at professional events. They also run a blog along with their site.

• Live Music Blog

A blog that strictly covers the live music scene.

• Social Tables

A service that helps provide safety at of guests and staff at venues.

• The Venue Report

A blog that covers all sorts of different venues around the world for events like weddings and such.

A Mississippi venue is under a lot of scrutiny after cancelling plans for a wedding, once realizing the couple getting married was interracial.

What once began as a harmonious celebration of the joining of two individuals, quickly became a viral story of deep-seeded racism and hate that we see far too often in this day and age. Boone’s Camp Event Hall, a venue which is located at 101 E Church Street in Booneville, Mississippi, was getting geared up to host a wedding ceremony in the coming months. As a hot venue in deep Mississippi, weddings are all too common for Boone’s Camp as they march into cooler, Fall weather. The bride and groom, only months away from their “I Do’s” and neck deep in planning, suddenly received a call out of the blue from a Boone’s employee, delivering the heart-breaking message that they unfortunately cannot move forward with this wedding, due to their ‘christian race’, (or was it christian beliefs?) – seemingly, it’s the all one and the same to Boone’s Camp, who probably also believes that Andrew Johnson is president and Jim Crowe laws apply in their “Christian State”. Here is the full quote: “First of all, we don’t do gay weddings or mixed race, because of our Christian race — I mean, our Christian belief..” 

(https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mississippi-venue-dont-do-gay-weddings-mixed-race-owner-says-in-viral-video-boone-camp-hall-sister-booneville-couple/)

When the groom’s sister found about this, she drove down to the venue herself to confront the owner, and recorded the entire interaction on camera and posted it on social media, hoping to get a rise out of the community.

(https://heavy.com/news/2019/09/boones-camp-event-hall/)

The backlash for Boone’s Camp Event Hall has been rampant, as the company’s Facebook page, Yelp page, and other online sites have been shutdown, most likely due to the number of users joining in to bash the venue and its owners for what most believe is a disgusting decision. Not only is the community unhappy with the decision, they also found that is unlawful. Mississippi state laws did pass a “religious freedom law” that allowed businesses to refuse LGBT weddings, but no such law exists for interracial weddings, therefore causing the owners’ actions to be illegal. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-miscegenation_laws_in_the_United_States) Since, Boone’s Camp has issued an empty apology, stating: “To all of those offended, hurt or felt condemn by my statement I truly apologize to you for my ignorance in not knowing the truth about this,” the now-deleted apology read. “My intent was never of racism, but to stand firm on what I ‘assumed’ was right concerning marriage.”[https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/09/03/mississippi-wedding-venue-rejects-interracial-couple-christian-belief-apologized/]. What’s to come for Boone’s Camp is yet to be seen, but if one things is for certain – Boone’s Camp will not be on my list of wedding venue considerations in this lifetime.