Annual Milwaukee festival Summerfest kicked off this week, and among its headliners was Lizzo, who took the stage on Thursday (6/27). While she called her set “the best show ever,” she also said it was overshadowed by an incident involving festival guards, who she says attacked her personal stylists in an aggressive manner.
Lizzo first spoke out about the incident early Friday morning in a tweet where she said the security guards “slapped and manhandled” her stylists, adding she is “out for blood” following the attack.
DID ANYBODY GET FOOTAGE OF THE SECURITY GUARD THAT TACKLED AND ATTACKED MY TEAM @SUMMERFEST ?!
THEY SLAPPED AND MANHANDLED MY HAIR STYLIST AND STYLIST AND IM OUT FOR BLOOD
— LIZZO (@lizzo) June 28, 2019
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Lizzo provided a follow-up tweet where she shared a video of the attack (which she filmed), and called the attacker a “racist bigot” who used “hurtful language.” The tweet has since been deleted; “this racist bigot put his hands on my people and used hurtful language while tackling and dragging my team off the festival grounds,” it read. None of her subsequent posts mentioned any racist language from the guards, but she addressed the general subject in a tweet on Friday morning, that reads, “friendly reminder that you don’t have to say the ‘n word’ to be racist. That’s not the sole requirement. Asking people to prove racism is another tool the oppressor uses to marginalize and discredit us.”
In another tweet, Lizzo says she couldn’t enjoy her successful time onstage due to the attack. “I can’t even celebrate cuz RACISM don’t matter if you a headliner,” she wrote
FUCK! That was the best show ever but I feel like I can’t even celebrate cuz RACISM don’t matter if you a headliner…. SMH @Summerfest please send footage
— LIZZO (@lizzo) June 28, 2019
Lizzo was later contacted by Summerfest, who are conducting an official investigation into the incident.
UPDATE: @Summerfest responded and will be investigating the guards who attacked my team! Thanks for the support and please send any footage you might have it all helps! https://t.co/ROx1sfybeb
— LIZZO (@lizzo) June 28, 2019
The festival also put out an official statement on Twitter, saying that Lizzo “gave an incredible performance which she now feels is tarnished by events which occurred during the performance.” They added, “We do not tolerate racism in any form” and promised to take “appropriate action.”
2/2 We have an experienced crowd management staff who strive to protect performers & fans. While there may be challenges during a performance, we expect those challenges to be handled professionally & respectfully. If those standards were not met, we will take appropriate action.
— Summerfest (@Summerfest) June 28, 2019
Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, who is also a headliner at Summerfest this year, chimed in on Twitter following the news, demanding the festival “make a public apology and make a public example of this asshole.”
https://twitter.com/blobtower/status/1144595244689895426
Summerfest continues this week, with upcoming headliners Lil Wayne/Snoop Dogg/Schoolboy Q, The Killers, Willie Nelson, Billie Eilish, and more.