Omanghana
The management of Ghanaian dancehall musician Shatta Wale has issued a statement following the abrupt cancellation of ShattaFest UK 2026 at Copthall Playing Fields in North London.
The highly anticipated concert, organized as part of the annual Ghana Party in the Park festival, was halted by the UK Metropolitan Police on Saturday, August 1, 2026, amid concerns about overcrowding, crowd surges and a dangerous crush near the venue’s entrance.
In a statement released by the Shatta Movement Empire, management expressed sadness over the incident and emphasized that protecting fans remained its highest priority.
The team explained that the decision to discontinue the event was taken in consultation with the relevant authorities to prevent the situation from escalating into a potentially catastrophic stampede.
“Nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of every single person who came to celebrate music, unity and love,” the statement said.
Management also addressed unverified social media reports alleging stabbings and fatalities during the confusion.
The team said it was saddened by reports of injuries but would wait for official confirmation from British authorities before commenting on the number of people affected or the severity of their conditions.
The Shatta Movement Empire pledged its full cooperation with UK law enforcement agencies, emergency medical personnel, event organizers and other partners investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The investigation is expected to examine the venue’s crowd-control arrangements, admission procedures and the factors that created congestion around the entrance.
“This is not the outcome anyone wished for. Today, our focus is not on a concert—it is on the people whose lives have been affected,” management stated while requesting prayers for those recovering.
Eyewitness accounts shared online suggested that thousands of fans arrived at the venue, placing significant pressure on its access points.
Some attendees blamed inadequate gate management and claimed that the use of a single entrance created a severe bottleneck, causing several people to collapse or faint.
Other witnesses alleged that a gas canister discharged or exploded within the crowd, creating panic. However, that claim had not been officially confirmed by police or event organizers.
Shatta Wale later apologized to fans who were disappointed by the cancellation and expressed sadness over the incident.
“I’m so sorry whatever happened, but you know, God bless everybody for coming and I feel so sad,” he said. “You just have to know the brand of Shatta Wale… we are going to do something for the fans.”
Management did not immediately announce whether the concert would be rescheduled or whether ticket holders would receive refunds.
The team said its immediate attention remained on the welfare of those affected and supporting the official investigation into what went wrong.
Source: Omanghana
