In the days following the tragic events that took place at the Astroworld Festival, conspiracy theories have amassed, claiming the tragedies that took place during the Travis Scott event was a result of a satanic ritual.
A Recount
The event was held at NRG Park in Houston Texas in early November. There were 100,00 people in attendance, 10 of which are now dead and 300 are injured. These incidents came because of a crowd rush toward the stage from both the back and sides of the mosh pit. During the concert, fans documented the incident, posting videos and photos on social media. Inviting an influx of conspiracy theories that left the world misled.
The Theories
There are several circulating theories relating to the incident that amounts to a grand theory that the concert was a satanic ritual. Here were a few of the common theories.
- The crush was part of a ritualistic sacrifice.
- The crowd was put under a spell before the crush.
- That there was a link between the event date and the date of the establishment of the Church of Satan.
- Travis Scott’s (the rapper) lyrics were of Satanic nature.
- The stage resembled the fiery gates of hell.
- The entry of the festival was through a giant sculpture of Scott’s open mouth which people have linked to Hieronymus Bosch’s “Christ in Limbo” painting depicting the “mouth of hell.”
- Some people have also linked the injuries and deaths to Covid vaccines.
The Verdict
The incident is being referred to as a “crowd crush”. Something that is not uncommon in the history of music festivals. Unfortunately, in this case, the crush resulted in a high number of casualties. The conspiracies are likely a series of false accusations, but that doesn’t take away from Scott’s not so clean history in performance safety.
In prior performances, the rapper has been known to stimulate incidents and has rewarded his audience for their participation. According to CNN, Scott has built a reputation on staging live shows that bring chaos, wanting his shows to feel like a wrestling match. He is known to entice his audience to ignore security and rush towards the stage and encourage fans to jump off balconies, claiming the crowd beneath would catch them.
These incidents have resulted in several charges against his name including disorderly conduct, inciting a riot and endangering the welfare of a minor. All were later dismissed with the exemption of disorderly conduct in which Scott pleaded guilty to committing.
Scott said in response to Astroworld,
“My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival,” he said. “Houston PD has my total support as they continue to look into the tragic loss of life.”
“I am committed to working together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need. Thank you to Houston PD, Fire Department and NRG Park for their immediate response and support. Love you all.”
But Wait, There’s More
Regardless of the conspiracies, the event itself underwent insufficient planning and execution from authorities. The operation plan included contingencies such as deaths, traumatic injuries, severe weather, an active shooter, civil unrest, lost persons, missing children, and unruly fans, but not for a surging crowd or mosh pit safety according to NPR. There was also a lack of appropriate security and medical staff on site.
Scott has been sued but not arrested following the event. The lawsuit stated he “incited the crowd” and the concert producer Live Nation “failed to provide adequate safety measures”. It’s a small price to pay for a tragedy of this magnitude, and the conspiracy theories are no help. They only serve to move the blame from Scott and put it on Satan, leaving victims without justice.
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