Personal Safety

We will not tolerate violence against women and girls at Leeds Festival. If you see something, say something and intervene where it is safe to do so. Our staff are here to help, and are never too far away.

AIM

• Safeguard women and girls from sexual violence by being proactive
• Support vulnerable people through intervention
• Identify sexual predatory behaviour to prevent offence with intervention

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN A VICTIM

• Does the person look uncomfortable or upset?
• Are they trying to escape or move away?
• Do they seem frightened?
• When you make eye contact, do they respond in a way that makes you think they want help?

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN A PERPETRATOR

• Loitering without a legitimate reason
• Making unwanted contact towards others
• Sexualised or misogynistic comments
• Harassing or stalking behaviour
• Possession of items indicative of preparing to commit sexual violence
• Aggressive & dominating behaviour
• Sexually inappropriate behaviour
• Returning despite intervention

WHERE TO GO FOR ASSISTANCE

• AIR Hubs are open 24 hours and offer assistance, information and response
• Welfare and medical are open 24 hours
• Stewards are roaming the site and can be spotted wearing high vis
  Check the festival map for locations.

HOW TO INTERVENE

• Distract and interrupt what is happening. You could ask for directions or pretend to be a friend of the victim
• Delegate and ask someone to help, seek out a member of staff
• Delay your response by checking in on the victim after the incident if you do not feel like you can intervene sooner. It’s never too late to act
• Direct response is possible by calling out a perpetrator or naming what is happening to make everyone aware that it is not ok
• Document the incident so it can be followed up later. This is best to do when the victim is already being helped by one of the other strategies as their welfare should be the primary concern

WHERE TO FIND OUT MORE

Safe Gigs For Women are an intersectional organisation that works to fight sexual violence at live music events, and can provide advice and information about bystander intervention. They’re available from 11am – 9pm onsite. Find them on the festival map.

LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER

PLEASE HEAD HERE FOR ALL UP TO DATE SAFEGUARDING INFORMATION ABOUT ROCKSTAR ENERGY PRESENTS LEEDS 2024

We don’t accept any discrimination towards any individual or groups of individuals. Irrespective of the background of the individual, be that gender, race, disability, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity. We are proud of the diverse nature of our festivals and their customers, if you see or experience anyone undermining this – no matter the severity – please report it immediately to one of our onsite staff.

• Decide on a meeting point with your friends. Choose a time and place to meet up later in case you get separated from each other.
• Learn the layout of the site – particularly your camping area so you can easily find toilets and stewards.
• Pick out memorable points near your campsite to help remember where your camping spot is located. Are there landmarks nearby that can help you find it?
• Get to know the people who are camped around you. It makes for a nicer environment and it means you’ll be familiar with who should be coming and going in your area.
• Keep your phone charged in case you’re separated from your friends.
• Stay hydrated. There are tested drinking water points throughout the arena which are free to use.
• For a full list of what you can and can’t bring into the campsite, please visit Information: The Essentials.
• Keep your wits about you. Drink responsibly and know your limit.
• Carry a torch with you or enable the torch on your phone to use for when it gets dark.
• Festival stewards are here to help you. Don’t be worried about asking for help in any situation, whether it’s asking for directions or to report something or someone you’re worried about.
• Don’t leave valuables like your phone, purse or car keys in your tent or unattended vehicles. Lockers are available to rent to store your belongings via our Tickets page.
• The Welfare Tent is open 24 hours and is staffed by experienced and supportive people. They can provide confidential advice about drugs, alcohol, legal highs and sexual health, and offer support if you need to talk. They offer a monitored rest and recovery area if you’ve overdone it. Please go to the Welfare Tent if you experience any problems or need to talk to someone for any reason
• Please take guidance from the stewards in where is best to pitch your tent, if your tent is found blocking the fire lanes and emergency exits your tent may be removed for safety reasons.
• Those with chronic conditions such as epilepsy, asthma and diabetes should bring all their usual medications to cover the festival period, and to be aware they may require hospital treatment if they don’t take it
• Strobe lighting – pyrotechnics, lasers, smoke machines, strobe lighting/special effects may take place during some performances

We take the security and safety of our festival goers very seriously – it is a real priority.

Please help us by bringing as little as possible and remember we do not allow bags larger than A4 into the arena. Please be patient while we carry out our security checks and searches, which take place at the campsite gates, the arena entrance and may also happen at any time at any location onsite.

Our security staff are there for your safety – please co-operate with them as they work to keep us all safe and sound. Some are covert, but most are obvious by their green or white tabard. Always go to them if you need help.

The medical tent is fully staffed, open 24/7 and located in the village near the arena entrance.

There are security measures you will see and of course ones that you can’t. The whole site is monitored throughout by staff on the ground along with an extensive CCTV system watched round the clock by a team of monitors in a fully staffed Event Control. We work very closely with West Yorkshire Police and members of the security services to ensure our security procedures are up to date and we are following best practice. We put a lot of time and effort on briefing and training and run emergency exercises. We also have a team of sniffer dogs working around the clock.

Please help us by reporting anything that doesn’t look right to you and also please let us know if you spot an area where we can do better, and we will get on it.

Being found in possession of a flare or firework at a music event is now a criminal offence. Anyone found in possession will be removed from site and could face up to 3 months in prison and / or a fine.

If a fire starts in your tent, you must get everyone out of the tent and evacuate the area as quickly as possible. You need to get help from the nearest steward or security who will call the onsite Fire Team to extinguish the fire.

In the campsite, please notify the nearest zone manager who can be found in each campsite caravan hub.

In the unlikely event that you cannot find a member of security or steward nearby, then please dial 999. In addition to this, our Campsite Assistance Teams (CATs) are provided with a fire backpack to tackle smaller fires.

If you discover a fire in its very early stages and think that you can deal with it yourself. Remember is that fire spreads very quickly around flammable materials such as tents and rubbish. Even a small contained fire can quickly spread, producing smoke and fumes which can kill in seconds.

If you are in any doubt, do not tackle the fire, no matter how small. Ensure that you raise the alarm and keep other campers in the vicinity away from the fire until it has been contained and properly extinguished.

Many people put out small fires quite safely. However, some people die or are injured by tackling fires which are beyond their capabilities.

Here is a simple fire code to help you decide whether to put out or get out:

• Only tackle a fire in its very early stages
• Always put your own and other people’s safety first
• Make sure you can escape if you need to and never let a fire block your exit
• Fire extinguishers are only for fighting a fire in its very early stages. Never tackle a fire if it is starting to spread or has spread to other items nearby
• Around 70% of fire deaths are caused by people being overcome by smoke and fume

There are over 1,500 security, stewards and campsite staff on duty, all of which wear our festival tabards. They should be able to help you or obtain the necessary response you require.

If a crime is being committed and there is a risk of injury or of serious damage to property, please contact a member of staff immediately. If in the unlikely event you cannot find someone, please call 999.

If you need report a non-emergency crime or to provide information on a crime whilst attending the festival, please call 101.

If you have lost a child, please contact a member of staff or police officer immediately who will be able to help you. Any lost children are looked after by our on site Welfare team who are located in The Village.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, highly poisonous gas that can kill in minutes. Never take a portable barbecue – or lit charcoal – into an enclosed space like a tent or caravan. Disposable BBQs are banned at Rockstar Energy presents Leeds 2025. Make sure exhaust fumes from generators are properly vented away from occupied areas.

If you think you have potentially be exposed to carbon monoxide whilst at the festival, please contact a steward immediately.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Tiredness and confusion
• Stomach pain
• Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing

Rockstar Energy presents Leeds Festival does not condone the use of drugs. It is illegal to buy, sell or take drugs. Drugs enforcement laws are as applicable onsite as anywhere else in the UK but we want our festival goers to know above all else that you can come to us for help without fear of getting in trouble at any time.

Read our policy on drugs and NPS (New Psychoactive Substances)

Remember if you take drugs and become ill, depressed or concerned, make sure you ask the nearest member of staff to direct you to our Welfare Tent in the Village which is open 24 hours. If you or someone you are with has a bad reaction and needs medical help, talk to the nearest member of staff immediately. Let the medics know what has been taken. You could save your friend’s life. People who are overdosing can go downhill very quickly so don’t delay in seeking help.

DRUGS POLICY

• This festival does not condone the use of drugs. It is illegal to buy, sell or take drugs. Drugs enforcement laws are as applicable onsite as anywhere else in the UK.
• We want our festival goers to know above all else that we are here to help and you can come to us for help without fear of getting in trouble.

DRUGS ADVICE

We do not recommend you take drugs, but if you do please bear the following in mind.

• There are drugs in circulation in the UK that can kill with one single pill. Click here for more information.
• There is no way to know what drugs contain from looking. Even pills that look the same can have different strengths. Know the facts.
• If in doubt, get checked out. Do you know the signs of an overdose? Know the facts.
• Mixing drugs with other drugs / alcohol / prescription drugs can be very dangerous and mixing is behind many drugs deaths.
• Cheap does not mean weak.
• Pure does not mean safe.
• You don’t know the strength of what you might be taking. You don’t know how your body will react. You can’t tell what you are taking by looking at it. You can’t tell how you will react by the reaction others have had.
• You can always up your dose but you can’t reduce it. Wait at least 2 hours before taking any more.
• If your powder or pills don’t take effect as quickly as you would expect, don’t assume they are poor quality – they may contain another substance that takes longer to take effect. If you then take more as a result you are at increased risk of overdose when the combined doses do kick in.
• Treat all drugs as unknown.
• Take regular breaks if you are dancing or exercising or in a hot environment and rehydrate with water or soft drinks – take small sips regularly but don’t have more than one pint an hour.
• Having an isotonic drink such as Lucozade can help if you have been drinking a lot of water.
• Use in a safe environment, with people you trust, look after each other and make sure you are with someone at all times. Ask for help if you need it.
• You can talk to the Welfare Team in confidence at any time and they have drugs advisory staff to help you. They are open 24 hours and based in the Village next to the Medical Tent.

NPS AND FORMER LEGAL HIGHS

• Our drugs policies include Nitrous Oxide (Nos) and other former legal highs all of which are dangerous. They are not safe or mild because they used to be legal.
• Former legal highs are now known as NPS (New Psychoactive Substances) and it is an offence now to sell them. If you take NPS, then keep the packet in case you need to show someone what you have taken but note that what it says on the packet isn’t necessarily what is in the packet. Also chemicals can fall to the bottom of the bag leading to a very high dose.

DEALERS

• We will take firm action in conjunction with West Yorkshire Police to arrest dealers.
• There are covert staff onsite and as a condition of entry you are subject to search at any time. Staff will search for illegal items including drugs.
• If someone offers you drugs, please report them to the nearest member of security with as much information as you can.

ALCOHOL

• Pace yourself.
• Try to avoid getting too intoxicated in unfamiliar situations. You can lose control, make risky decisions and become less aware of danger.
• Alcohol and other drugs can impair your judgement. Don’t feel pressured into doing anything you aren’t comfortable with.
• If you are having a bad time or struggling but don’t feel you need medical attention, visit the Welfare Team.
• If you need medical attention, visit the Medical Tent or ask the nearest member of staff to help you.
• If someone becomes unconscious or unresponsive, put them in the recovery position (on their side) and seek immediate medical attention by alerting the nearest member of security.
• Alternate alcoholic drinks with soft drinks.
• If you are drinking from early in the day, try to stick to drinks with a lower ABV, for example, lager rather than spirits.
• Alcohol is the most common substance used to spike drinks. Never leave drinks unattended and don’t accept a drink from someone you don’t know.
• Mixing alcohol with drugs has been a common factor in some recent drug-related deaths connected with festivals.

FURTHER INFORMATION

• wearetheloop.org/crush-dab-wait/
• talktofrank.com
• bluelight.org
• drinkaware.co.uk/alcohol-facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/effects-on-the-body/alcohol-and-illegal-drugs/
• acast.com/saywhytodrugs
• prescription-drug.addictionblog.org/mixing-xanax-with-alcohol/
• addictioncenter.com/addiction/polydrug-use/
• themix.org.uk/drink-and-drugs/drugs-and-your-body/misusing-prescription-drugs-9575.html

Remember if you take drugs and become ill, depressed or concerned, make sure you ask the nearest member of staff to direct you to our Welfare Tent in the Village which is open 24 hours. If you or someone you are with has a bad reaction and needs medical help, talk to the nearest member of staff immediately. Let the medics know what has been taken. You could save your friend’s life. People who are overdosing can go downhill very quickly so don’t delay in seeking help.

MORE INFORMATION ON ECSTASY DEATHS

Ecstasy deaths appear to be rising year on year. There appears to be a link with the amount of MDMA found in tablets more recently. In 2005 each pill contained around 80mg of MDMA. Some recent pills have tested upwards of 250mg MDMA. This could be firmly in the fatal overdose range.  A combination of factors are at play such as bodyweight, hormone levels, mixing with other drugs including alcohol, underlying health and so on. There is no safe dose.

MORE INFORMATION ON THE DANGERS OF MIXING DRUGS 

Mixing drugs intensifies the effects of each drug and makes them more dangerous and potentially fatal. Mixing drugs and alcohol is common but alcohol can have a big impact on the way many substances affect you. It could enhance the effects of the first drug but it could also create a dangerous or potentially fatal chemical reaction. Mixing ecstasy with cocaine can increase the high but also increases the risk of cardiac arrest. The more drugs that are used simultaneously including alcohol and including prescription drugs, the greater the risk. DO NOT MIX.

FURTHER INFORMATION ON PARTICULAR COMBINATIONS 

ALCOHOL AND ECSTASY

Alcohol can moderate the high from ecstasy and also increase the intensity of the come down. Both drugs cause dehydration which increases the risk of heatstroke when dancing in a hot environment for hours. There is a greater strain on the liver and kidneys which can lead to feeling / being sick. Both drugs impair judgment. Mixing alcohol with ecstasy has resulted in a number of drugs overdoses at music festivals in recent years.

ALCOHOL AND COCAINE 

This combination results in the formation of an entirely new chemical in the body called cocaethylene. This is then associated with liver damage, seizures and immune system damage. Immediate death from cocaethylene is 20 times more likely than from cocaine alone. The impact of alcohol can increase the levels of cocaine in the blood by as much as 30% increasing the strain on the cardiovascular system. There is also an increased likelihood of violent behaviour and suicide.

ALCOHOL WITH OTHER STIMULANTS

A combination of alcohol with other stimulants such as ritalin, adderall, amphetamine, some diet pills, some over the counter cold remedies and even some strong energy drinks can also be dangerous. As with cocaine they can obscure the sedating effects of alcohol enabling a person to get dangerously drunk without fully realising. Overheating is more likely which can lead to organ damage. A person taking alcohol with these stimulants can lose their inhibitions but be irritable and aggressive.

MISUSE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS 

Prescription drugs are not safe if not used according to the issuing doctor’s instructions. The benzodiazepine (benzo’s) group of drugs – valium, xanex, tamazepan etc are often used to come down from other drugs such as ecstasy or speed. This is a dangerous combination as the tranquilizers can be numbing and when taken with alcohol the combined depressant effects can cause fatal overdose by inhibiting breathing or slowing down vital organs.

Mixing drugs intensifies the effects of each drug and makes them more dangerous and potentially fatal. Mixing drugs and alcohol is common but alcohol can have a big impact on the way many substances affect you. It could enhance the effects of the first drug but it could also create a dangerous or potentially fatal chemical reaction. Mixing ecstasy with cocaine can increase the high but also increases the risk of cardiac arrest. The more drugs that are used simultaneously including alcohol and including prescription drugs, the greater the risk. DO NOT MIX.

Further information on particular combinations

Alcohol and Ecstasy

Alcohol can moderate the high from ecstasy and also increase the intensity of the come down. Both drugs cause dehydration which increases the risk of heatstroke when dancing in a hot environment for hours. There is a greater strain on the liver and kidneys which can lead to feeling / being sick. Both drugs impair judgment. Mixing alcohol with ecstasy has resulted in a number of drugs overdoses at music festivals in recent years.

Alcohol and Cocaine

This combination results in the formation of an entirely new chemical in the body called cocaethylene. This is then associated with liver damage, seizures and immune system damage. Immediate death from cocaethylene is 20 times more likely than from cocaine alone. The impact of alcohol can increase the levels of cocaine in the blood by as much as 30% increasing the strain on the cardiovascular system. There is also an increased likelihood of violent behaviour and suicide.

ALCOHOL WITH OTHER STIMULANTS

A combination of alcohol with other stimulants such as ritalin, adderall, amphetamine, some diet pills, some over the counter cold remedies and even some strong energy drinks can also be dangerous. As with cocaine they can obscure the sedating effects of alcohol enabling a person to get dangerously drunk without fully realising. Overheating is more likely which can lead to organ damage. A person taking alcohol with these stimulants can lose their inhibitions but be irritable and aggressive.

MISUSE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

Prescription drugs are not safe if not used according to the issuing doctor’s instructions. The benzodiazepine (benzo’s) group of drugs – valium, xanex, tamazepan etc are often used to come down from other drugs such as ecstasy or speed. This is a dangerous combination as the tranquilizers can be numbing and when taken with alcohol the combined depressant effects can cause fatal overdose by inhibiting breathing or slowing down vital organs.

Festival Republic do not condone any usage of drugs at Rockstar Energy presents Leeds Festival. Drug Detection Dogs will be operating throughout the event. Please don’t be alarmed; they are here for the safety of everyone.”

Campfires are no longer allowed anywhere at the festival, including the campsites. This is to support the Air Quality Strategy and in consideration of local impacts as set out in our Green Nation Charter.  Anyone seen creating or fuelling a fire will be evicted from the festival site. We have to continue to protect our future on this planet.

The Event is produced for the enjoyment of all those persons who attend. Any person who disrupts the Event under any of the below sections will leave themselves liable for eviction from the Event. The decision as to the eviction will be at the discretion of the Eviction Team / Security Coordinator following advice from security personnel. Persons will be liable for eviction under the following circumstances:

Reasons for eviction:

• Entering or being inside the Event without a ticket or relevant pass/ wristband;
• Unacceptable, disruptive or anti-social behaviour; *
• Having been arrested or cautioned in connection with a criminal offence, pending or post-hand-over to the Police.

*Unacceptable behaviour that can lead to eviction includes but is not limited to:

•  illegal activity;
• breaching the terms and conditions of entry;
• failing to submit to a search as a condition of entry:
• offensive behaviour;
• throwing hard objects in the direction of people;
• encouraging others to behave badly by incitement;
• preventing security or emergency responders reacting to a situation; committing a criminal offence but not arrested by the police; in possession of unlawful drugs;
• unofficially selling alcohol, tobacco, counterfeit goods or any other unauthorized goods;
• ticket scalping;
• any other behaviour that leaves the Event open to prosecution or is not conducive to maintaining a safe Event

• All evictees will be processed via Eviction Team / Security Coordinator, and their wristbands / tickets will be removed to prevent them from re-entering the Event.
• All persons presented for eviction by security will be interviewed by the Eviction Team / Security Coordinator who are independent of security, and their details will be recorded in a database with their full personal details, a photograph, date and time and the reasons for eviction.
• All evictees will be able to make a free telephone call if they do not have a cell phone to contact members of their group and/or family.
• Evictees will need to phone a friend at the Event to collect their belongings before their eviction as they will not be permitted back into the Event to find them. We will not be responsible for ensuring that they leave the Event with their belongings.
• Evictees will receive a letter detailing the eviction process and details of onward transportation.