A father took his 17-year-old son to the hospital after claiming he was ‘spiked’ by a needle at a music festival. Roly May, a popular influencer with 1.9 million followers on TikTok, shared the harrowing experience online, bringing attention to the incident at the Boardmasters music festival in the UK.
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May’s son, Cooper, recounted the alleged ordeal on his Instagram Stories, mentioning that he felt “spiked” by a needle, was touched inappropriately multiple times, and even threatened during the festival weekend. Cooper’s message to his followers highlighted his desire to enjoy the event like any other 17-year-old, urging for a safer environment for all attendees.
Following the distressing incident, Cooper spent five hours in the hospital undergoing various tests, all of which fortunately showed no concerning results. Roly May updated his TikTok followers on the situation, expressing relief that they had followed all necessary medical advice and were heading home for a relaxing evening with takeout food.
In the aftermath of their son’s traumatic experience, Roly and his wife Katy, who frequently share their family life on social media, criticised the festival’s security measures. They felt the festival, Boardmasters, fell short in their duty of care towards attendees, particularly younger individuals like their son. Katy expressed her disappointment in the lack of security and safeguarding at the event, calling it a “disgrace.”
Amidst allegations of ‘spiking’ at the festival, Boardmasters responded by stating that there have been no confirmed cases of spiking in the past two years, although a small number of attendees did visit the festival’s medical centre. Despite the claims, Boardmasters did not offer an immediate comment in response to PEOPLE’s request for clarification.
The May family, known for sharing their everyday life and travels with millions of followers, have now drawn attention to the importance of safety and security at public events. Roly, renowned for his cooking videos on TikTok, and Katy, who often shares her fitness routines, use their platform to advocate for better protection of young festival-goers and ensuring a secure environment for all attendees.
With a growing discourse around safety at music festivals, incidents like these shed light on the need for thorough security measures and robust safeguarding protocols to prevent similar occurrences in the future. The May family’s experience serves as a reminder of the potential risks faced by attendees at large gatherings and the importance of prioritising safety and well-being in event planning.