Indie Band Spotlight: Vomitface in 2014/Via indieminded.com
Anyone with a smartphone and a Facebook account knows that incidents of police brutality have been occuring on a daily basis in America.
Via la.indymedia.org
With the targets being Black and Brown bodies, these acts of violence have resulted in thousands of grieving families and zero consequences for trigger-happy racist cops.
While police brutality is running rampant in America, similar instances of overly aggressive, irresponsible and highly apathetic cops can be seen at the Montreal music festival, Osheaga.
photo via democracynow.org
During the extremely popular music & art festival, Preetma Singh, drummer in the band Vomitface, was physically assaulted by festival security.
Vomitface Twitter account/Via twitter.com/vomitface
In an interview with i-D magazine, Singh says that the incident began when Osheaga security threw her bandmate, Jared, down the stairs.
Vomitface Twitter account/Via twitter.com/vomitface
Upon the realization that her bandmate & boyfriend was in danger, Singh urged security not to hurt Jared and proceeded towards the stairs to help him.
Upon approaching the stairs, security put Singh in a headlock which caused her to blackout.
Vomitface Twitter account/Via twitter.com/vomitface
The band called 911 with hopes of having a Non-Osheaga police team at the scene but the 911 call gave them another batch of Osheaga security. Security refused to report the assault and threatened to arrest the band.
Vomitface Twitter account/Via twitter.com/vomitface
Below Singh recounts the aftermath to i-D magazine:
“I remember being so scared trying to find our way out of that hell. Meanwhile the security guard was immediately whisked away and protected. No one at all even let us speak. I have bruises all over my arms, my neck is still sore and my voice is hoarse. No one has been in contact with us since to address the issue let alone apologize.”
link to i-D piece
The band continues to use Twitter to call out Osheaga on their silence in the face of Singh’s assault and countless others. 
Vomitface Twitter account/Via twitter.com/vomitface
When fans began tweeting other traumatic Osheaga experiences, like Melanie Doucet’s, it became clear that the festival is more known for its hazardous conditions than its festival lineup.
Melanie Doucet, a 2016 Osheaga attendee, was drugged at the Montreal festival. Doucet lost control & precision of her speech as well as her body and thankfully, made it home safely.
The next day, she returned to the festival grounds and informed security about the incident.
Doucet said that the following was security’s response:
“We’re really busy. We try to catch things but we can’t catch everything. I’m really sorry this happened to you, but I’m really busy, I gotta go.’ And I was also told maybe you should have paid closer attention to your drink which really put me off because that’s pretty much victim-blaming in my opinion.”(source: CTV News Montreal)
link to CTV News piece
…..ARE.YOU.KIDDING.ME??????
Vh1/Via giphy.com
Circling back to Singh’s experience, Osheaga FINALLY responded to the assault but ONCE AGAIN, the festival organizers further reinforced the fact that they’re SEVERELY unfit to be running an event of this magnitude…..
Honestly….they shouldn’t be in charge of ANY event regardless of size.
Vomitface Twitter account/Via twitter.com/vomitface
If you want to see change, tweet at Osheaga…INCESSANTLY, share articles about the myriad of terrible events that have happened at this festival and/or get a group of people together and boycott the 2017 festival.
People are essentially spending loads of time & money to enter a minefield. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice your safety to have a good time.
Don’t stop at Osheaga, call out all live music spaces that have ever made you fell unsafe. Hold these spaces accountable.
If you feel comfortable and supported, share your story on social media platforms. It’s highly unfortunate but chances are, your story will bring to light a number of other incidents.
I love live-music as much as the next person but until Osheaga(and a number of other festivals/live music spaces) take incidents like Singh’s seriously, I’ll be staying at home with a large pizza and videos of cute dogs.
Bravo/Via i.kinja-img.com
by Lindsey Anderson