How Reading and Leeds Festival Devolved into Anarchy Two Years Ago

Storm Lilian is causing chaos at Leeds Festival this week by blowing up tents. But this isn’t the first time Reading and Leeds have fallen into chaos.

Just two years ago, when thousands of young music lovers flocked to the annual festivals to see their favourite artists perform, parents at home were left worried when it was reported that a teenager had died after taking MDMA in Leeds.

In recent years, enthusiastic youth have become embroiled in full-blown anarchy, from robberies to tent arson and sexual assaults during six-day music events that attract audiences of up to 95,000.

The chaos of 2022 will be one festival-goers will soon forget, as festival-goers were left shocked when teenager David Celino from Worsley, Manchester, tragically died after taking ecstasy.

It would be an unforgettable weekend for the student, as he saw famous artists on stage, including Dave, Arctic Monkeys, The 1975, Megan Thee Stallion, Bring Me The Horizon and Halsey.

Sadly, it ended in a nightmare that his family is still longing to wake up from.

His father, Gianpiero Celino, later said his son had been the victim of drug dealers who were involved in child abuse in Leeds.

During an inquiry in Wakefield, Gianpiero strongly warned fellow parents that the festivals ‘cannot be safe for 16 or 17 year olds to go to the festival unaccompanied.’

The grieving father, who drove his son to the festival, said Celino had planned to celebrate his GCSE results with friends that weekend but every parent’s worst nightmare came true.

After receiving a call saying Celino had been taken to St James’s Hospital in Leeds, they were told he had suffered a heart attack.

Coroner Kevin McLoughlin also said he hopes “all young people who attend the festival will take to heart the lessons learned from this painful tragedy”.

A year after Celino’s death, West Yorkshire Police reported that almost twice as many people had been arrested for drug offences in 2023 as the year before.

A total of 56 people were questioned on suspicion of drug trafficking. Several dealers were given heavy sentences.

But the 2022 carnage didn’t stop there. There was also looting and fighting. Many people felt unsafe on the site because of the antisocial behavior.

Many attendees left early because of the fighting, which saw tents set on fire, mobs gathering in a circle and chairs and other objects going up in flames.

A 21-year-old named Chloe told Metro.co.uk at the time when the younger participants took part in what appeared to be a ‘Sunday night purge’.

Chloe said: ‘People were throwing bottles of urine, making big bonfires and we even heard rumours of stabbings in and around the area.’

She added that “when the guards came to take everyone away, everyone was booing and cursing at them.”

Amber Vellacott, 26, and her boyfriend said the area ‘just didn’t feel safe for two adults, let alone all the kids there’. There were ‘a fair amount’ of security guards, but not ‘in huge numbers’, despite the violence that took place.

With Reading and Leeds returning, fans will be on their toes for a different reason this year, despite the excitement surrounding headliners such as Liam Gallagher, Blink 182 and Fred Again.

Shocking new figures show that just four of the more than 100 reported sex offences in Reading and Leeds since 2018 have led to prosecutions so far.

These statistics include 16 reported rapes of women at a festival in Leeds in the past six years. To date, none of these rapes have resulted in prosecution.

According to local police, recent violations may still be the subject of criminal investigations.

However, the figures have led to debate over whether enough is being done to protect women and young girls at festivals.

A Leeds City Council spokesperson said earlier: ‘Leeds City Council works with West Yorkshire Police to tackle anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls, both of which are unacceptable and are key targets and priorities for our Safer Leeds partnership.’

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