Latest news with #RachelCunningham
Axios
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Axios
Roots Picnic won't issue refunds after long delays and safety concerns
The Roots Picnic will not be giving out refunds for this year's festival after Saturday's three-hour delay in opening led to long lines, organizers told Axios on Monday. Why it matters: Hundreds, "if not thousands," of concertgoers were expected to demand their money back, a Mann Center staffer working the event told Axios last weekend. The big picture: Roots Picnic serves as a mecca of Philly's Black musical and cultural contributions, headlined by some of the region's most popular artists since 2008. But some upset attendees have compared their experience at last weekend's event to the disastrous Fyre Festival. Driving the news: The festival told Axios in a statement that no refunds would be issued because the "rain or shine event" was still "able to deliver a full day of artist performances and programming." It comes after outraged festivalgoers took to social media to list their grievances, from long waits without access to bathrooms and water stations to complaints that the grounds were difficult to navigate for people with disabilities. Following Saturday's weather delay, the festival was slow to communicate the new schedule and then posted the wrong one, sparking confusion among attendees about which artist was on when. Plus: Some festivalgoers said they witnessed people faint while waiting to get into the event at the Mann Center, and long waits for paramedics to provide care. What they're saying: At least 57 people received care during the festival, but large crowds made it challenging for paramedics to immediately reach people who needed attention, Rachel Cunningham, a spokesperson for Philadelphia's Fire Department, which staffed EMS at the event, told Axios. The Mann Center and Live Nation Urban didn't immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment. Between the lines: Several people also claimed on social media that they received refunds at the event. The festival didn't immediately respond to Axios' request for comment on the matter. Catch up quick: The festival posted an apology on Instagram about Saturday's long lines to get into the event, blaming a heavy rainstorm that doused the area for making the "grounds unsafe." The apology's comment section is disabled, but one of the top comments on another post called the festival's crowd control "the most amateur and unprofessional" they've "ever had the misfortune to experience." Roots drummer Questlove said the event was almost canceled, but they decided to forge ahead after taking "extra time to repair the site."
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Yahoo
FACT FOCUS: No foul play suspected in ICE van fire in Philadelphia
Footage of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement van on fire in Philadelphia on Tuesday morning led many on social media to blame the blaze on left-wing extremists. Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: An ICE van in Philadelphia seen ablaze in a video spreading online was intentionally set on fire by left-wing extremists. THE FACTS: That's false. Although the cause of the fire is unknown, foul play is not suspected, according to the Philadelphia Fire Department and ICE. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. 'After our fire marshal spoke to the driver of the vehicle, who escaped unharmed, thankfully, it was determined that it was an accidental fire,' said Rachel Cunningham, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Fire Department. 'I don't have information on what caused it or what the accident was, but there's no suspicion of foul play.' The department responded to a call about a vehicle ablaze in front of a residence in Philadelphia's Center City neighborhood at 8:38 a.m. Tuesday morning, Cunningham said. One fire engine was sent to the scene and extinguished the flames. The fire marshal was called as a precaution, given that the van is a government vehicle. ICE spokesperson Tanya Roman said that the van 'experienced mechanical issues' before it caught fire. 'The Philadelphia Fire Department extinguished the flames after arriving on scene," she confirmed. "There were no injuries due to the fast response from the fire department and the vehicle's occupants. The cause of the fire is unknown, but no foul play is suspected at this time.' Find AP Fact Checks here:
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ICE Driver Torches MAGA's Wild Theory About Van Fire
MAGA nation freaked out after a video of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement minivan on fire in Philadelphia made the rounds on social media. Several of the most popular and influential MAGA influencers shared the clip with captions alleging that the van was intentionally set on fire by left-wing protestors to oppose Donald Trump's effort to deport undocumented immigrants en masse. A spokesperson for the Philadelphia Fire Department, however, told the Daily Beast that the fire marshal had determined that the incident was an accidental vehicle fire—not an intentional act of protest. Rachel Cunningham, the department's communications director, said that police and the fire department were called to the scene of a burning ICE vehicle around 8:30 Tuesday. After talking to the driver of the vehicle, the fire marshal determined that the fire was accidental. Cunningham was unable to share specific details about what caused the fire. A representative for ICE confirmed this account of what happened to the Daily Beast. 'The Philadelphia Fire Department extinguished the flames after arriving on scene,' spokesperson Tanya Roman wrote in a statement. 'There were no injuries due to the fast response from the fire department and the vehicle's cause of the fire is unknown, but no foul play is suspected at this time.' Big names in the MAGA world had spent the afternoon raging over the incident as an act of violent anti-Trump sentiment, though. The far-right account Libs of TikTok shared the video of the car going up in flames with its audience of more than four million on X. The post's caption reads, 'An ICE minivan was reportedly set on fire in Philadelphia.' It didn't cite what reports it was referring to. From there, this account of what happened spread quickly with through the MAGAsphere. Right-wing pundit Charlie Kirk posted the clip, writing: 'A minivan operated by ICE has reportedly been set ablaze during operations in Philadelphia. If found to be intentional, which it appears to be, this is literal leftwing terrorism to make sure our country continues to be invaded.' Others hedged even less when describing what the video showed. MAGA internet show host Benny Johnson wrote, 'Left-wing extremists have reportedly set fire to an ICE van in Philadelphia in protest to mass deportations.' The far-right news account, Breaking911, which has more than a million followers declared, 'Left-wing extremists have reportedly set fire to an ICE van in Philadelphia in protest to mass deportations. Find them. Arrest them. Charge them with terror.' MAGA influencer Nick Sortor called the incident 'literal terrorism,' adding: 'Democrats are inciting Them. Up.' The video appears to have originated from the site Citizen, which shares information and updates about incidents under investigation by law enforcement. Homeland Security ICE Minivan on Fire @CitizenApp 506 S Front St 8:38:49 AM EST The video was posted to the site this morning, tagged from Philadelphia, with the caption 'Homeland Security ICE Minivan on Fire.' Nowhere on the original post was there any indication that the fire was intentional, let alone started by left-wing protestors.
