On September 18, 2022, thousands of fans gathered at Vancouver’s Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) Amphitheatre for the final night of the Breakout Festival; a two-day hip-hop event featuring major performers.
Just before he was to hit the stage, headliner Lil Baby cancelled his performance, citing illness. What began as excitement and anticipation amongst the concertgoers quickly turned to disappointment…then anger. The result was more than $300,000 in property damage when approximately 1000 angry fans began to riot. The damage and mayhem even spread to local businesses near the venue. Videos were posted on social media showing fans destroying property.
According to CTV News and other news outlets, 15 people were later arrested for their part in the destruction. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries or deaths as a result of the incident.
Incidents like this are stark reminders of how quickly the tide can turn when it comes to crowds at live events. For event security professionals, proper planning, training, and coordination are key to responding quickly and effectively when situations escalate quickly. In this post, we will use what we know about the PNE incident to discuss how crowd behaviour can change, how security professionals should respond, and why professional training is so important.
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Understanding Crowd Dynamics
In this instance, we know that the unexpected cancellation of Lil Baby’s performance was the trigger for the change in the crowd’s energy. When it comes to human behaviour, disappointment is a powerful emotion. When people gather together in anticipation and excitement, only to be left disappointed, that emotion can sweep through the entire crowd. This collective emotional swing is known as emotional contagion.
When expectations collapse unexpectedly, frustration spreads quickly. This is especially true in high-energy settings such as concerts or sporting events. Alcohol, drug use, heat, and fatigue further increase the intensity of emotional reactions. Well trained event security guards are taught to recognize emotional shifts. They look for changes in tone, body language, and group movement to identify changes in crowd dynamics early. They can then alert their supervisors and initiate a pre-emptive response.
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Communication Breakdowns
The event organizers were not informed of the artist’s cancellation until almost show time. When it was announced to the audience, chaos erupted almost immediately.
When major changes occur, communication becomes the single most important measure. This is especially true in emergency situations, or as in this case, when the change is likely to be poorly received. The attendees must receive clear, consistent information about what has happened and what the new expectations are. If attendees feel uninformed or confused about what’s happening, they will fill the void with speculation, fear, or anger.
Effective event security planning established who communicates what, and when. Then following should be planned out in advance of the event:
- Agreed procedures for making public announcements.
- Pre-approved messaging for cancellations or delays.
- Clear procedures for communication within the event’s staff.
Large events require the combined efforts of multiple agencies: promoters, security professionals, public law enforcement, paramedics, etc. Each agency operates independently of each other, but must work in tandem to effectively manage the needs of the event. If they do not have a unified method of communication, a collaborative response is almost impossible.
While it is unclear what communication structure was in place during the Breakout Festival, or how information was relayed to the attendees, the speed in which the situation escalated suggests that there may have been a lag in communication.
Calm Amongst the Chaos
Both police and private security responded to the riot. Somewhat remarkably, there were no reports of serious injuries. This is likely thanks in large part to their calm and professional response, in spite of the chaos and pressure.
When emergencies arise, professionalism is vital. Security guards are human, and are prone to the same emotional triggers and reactions as everybody else. What sets them apart is their ability to remain calm and not give in to fear and panic. With this calm composure, they can make sound decisions, speak with confidence and authority, and model positive behaviours for guests to mirror. When those expected to lead during an emergency lose their cool, it feeds into the energy and emotion of the entire crowd.
Great training programs emphasize command presence, without confrontation. This means knowing how to use your body language, tone and words to exude confidence and control, rather than aggression. Fear and panic lead to more fear and panic. It takes calm amongst the chaos to ensure the safety and security of everyone. Read more about De-Escalation here.
Recognizing Flashpoints Before They Ignite
The unrest started within minutes of the concert being cancelled. The decision to cancel occurred only minutes before the announcement. This shows just how quickly an unexpected change can cause mass frustration, and flash into violence and destruction.
Always a possibility in event settings, flashpoints can emerge when expectations are unmet. It could be due to performance delays, service failures, or as in this case…abrupt cancellations. When flashpoints occur, security guards trained in crowd observation look for:
- Rising vocal intensity or chanting from the crowd.
- Guests climbing barriers or equipment.
- Sudden crowd movement toward focal points, such as exits, vendor areas, and ticket kiosks.
Once those signs appear, immediate action is needed to get out in front of the coming chaos. With proper planning, everyone will know to execute their assigned duties. Supervisors must notify command, deploy security staff to designated posts, and coordinate with event organizers, police and paramedics.
While we cannot confirm whether those steps were taken at the PNE, the pattern is consistent with similar events where communication delays resulted in an initial loss of control over the situation.
Coordination Between Police and Security
During the PNE riot, Vancouver Police were on scene alongside private event security. While both agencies have different roles, tight coordination is needed in order to support one another. This coordination begins long before the actual event. Without a pre-determined game plan for a variety of issues, response times lengthen and confusion increases.
Joint briefings, unified terminology, radio interoperability, and pre-determined command roles help ensure everyone knows what to do, and where the various authorities lie. At a typical event in Canada, private security is the first line of observation and control, while police manage enforcement.
In large events like the Breakout Festival, observations from the ground must travel quickly through the chain of command. The faster signs of trouble are reported, the faster containment and control begins. Any gaps in unified command can lead to mixed signals and delayed intervention. In an emergency, seconds matter.
The Role Of De-Escalation In Crowd Management
Videos and news reports show guests shouting, destroying property and confronting staff. If intervention happens early enough, guards trained in conflict communication can use calm tone, open postures, and respectful language to influence others toward cooperation.
Empathetic body language and phrases such as, “I know this is disappointing, please move this way towards the exit so that we can keep everyone safe” can reduce frustration and provide guests with clear direction. When security demonstrates calm control, others are motivated to mirror the same. The same is true if security appears frightened or angry.
Even when the chaos is in full swing, pockets of aggression can still be isolated and de-escalated by confident, non-confrontational communication. The goal is to provide a counter to the frustrated energy of the crowd, and bring the emotional temperature down before it gets out of control.
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Documentation And Accountability
Police conducted a month-long investigation following the PNE incident, which led to the arrest of 15 individuals. Investigations require excellent reporting and documentation. This includes written documentation from a variety of sources, and effective debriefing.
Every serious incident should be documented in detail: timelines, observations, actions taken, communication logs, video captured, and outcomes. Reports must be factual and free from speculation. Good record keeping not only protects security guards from liability, but also helps improve future planning.
Debriefs should focus on successes, breakdowns, and opportunities for improvement. The goal is identifying learning opportunities and future prevention, not pointing fingers.
Reputation and Public Trust
The riot at the PNE received national media coverage, with images of violence and destruction spread across several social platforms. What happens, and how it is handled shape public opinion of both the event organizers, and the security industry. Even when security guards respond correctly, the public often equates visible disorder with a failure of security.
With such scrutiny being the new reality, professionalism and documentation is critical. Eye witness accounts and video footage showing security guards helping guests and maintaining order reinforces confidence in the profession. When is shows aggression or panic, trust erodes.
Remember, each guard represents not only themselves, but also their employer and the security industry as a whole. The ability to act with confident professionalism under stress is what will influence the public’s perception of the industry in a positive way.
Key Lessons for Security Professionals
Like all incidents, the PNE Breakout Festival riot offers lasting lessons for anyone working in event security:
- Expect emotional volatility. Large crowds amplify emotion. Continuously monitor tone, movement, and behaviour.
- Communicate quickly and clearly. Crowd behaviour can change fast. Delays and misunderstandings lead to slow and disorganized responses.
- Maintain composure. Calm conduct defuses fear and aggression.
- Recognize flashpoints. Intervene before frustration becomes violence.
- Document everything. Reports and debriefs protect from liability, improve credibility, and drive improvement.
- Train continuously. Skills fade without regular practice.
Conclusion
The Breakout Festival riot response likely could have been improved upon. While not all of the details are known, the core issues of communication delays, emotional contagion, and crowd frustration are familiar to anyone working in event security.
As Canada’s event security industry continues to grow and evolve, expectations on private security will increase as well. Security guards are no longer viewed as “bouncers” or passive observers. They are expected to be risk-managers and first responders, while staying within their legal scope.
Investing in professional training such as the Event Security Course offered by SecurityGuardCourse.ca ensures that guards can anticipate, communicate, and act with professionalism under pressure.
References
CTV News. (2022, September 20). Hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage at PNE after concert cancelled [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/2JaUJntpOr0
CTV News. (2023, September 19). 15 charged in riot that erupted after cancelled Lil Baby show in Vancouver. CTV News. https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/15-charged-in-riot-that-erupted-after-cancelled-lil-baby-show-in-vancouver/
Emotional Contagion Explained. (2025, June 2). Emotional contagion explained [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/RDzvL9V5fDc
Event Safety Alliance Canada. (2025). Standards and guidance. https://esacanada.ca/page-1075411
Global News. (2023, September 19). 15 people charged with mischief following PNE Breakout Festival riot. https://globalnews.ca/news/9971205/pne-breakout-festival-charges-riot/