‘There is a contempt for disabled patrons’: Activist, 25, who was given ‘second class treatment’ in distant disabled area at ‘abysmal’ Wireless Festival says she feels ‘dehumanised’
- Katouche Goll, 25, appeared on Good Morning Britain today to discuss rights
- Said she feels there is ‘contempt’ for ‘disabled patrons’ at music festivals
- Meanwhile compared Wireless Festival access to ‘something out The Lion King’
- Added: ‘There is a very dehumanising perspective’ on ‘what we can offer society’
An activist with cerebral palsy has said she feels there is a ‘dehumanising perspective’ on what she can ‘offer society’ after feeling ‘contempt’ while attending music festivals.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain today, Katouche Goll, 25, said she felt the experience at the popular festival Wireless in Crystal Palace this month was ‘like something out of The Lion King’ with a dangerous terrain and a steep hill to navigate to even enter the festival.
She said ‘information is there’ for festivals to learn how to treat people with disabilities, but added: ‘What this is is a contempt and disregard for disabled patrons. It’s a very dehumanising perspective on, what do we offer society, should we be in public view and should we able to participate.
‘I am constantly met with barriers. What makes people disabled, is the barriers put in front of you that stop you from participating in public life. They’re creating barriers in this instance.’
She previously spoke out about disabled ticketholders being given ‘second-class treatment’ at the ‘abysmal’ event after they were placed in a distant disabled area.
Katouche Goll, 25, has said she feels there is a ‘dehumanising perspective’ on what she can ‘offer society’ after feeling ‘contempt’ while at Wireless Festival
Katouche has previously branded her difficult experience of the popular festival in Crystal Palace this month as ‘an absolute disaster from the onset’ after being forced to negotiate ‘dangerous’ terrain and a steep hill – all for an abject view of the event
Appearing on the programme today, Katouche was asked what happened at the festival this month.
She responded: ‘What didn’t happen? The pathway up to the supposed disabled entrance was at the top of a hill. It wasn’t sign posted, none of the staff knew where it was when we asked.
‘But they thought it was appropriate for disabled attendees to scale a hill with a 10 per cent incline.’
She added: ‘it looks like something from The Lion King. It’s got massive potholes, one wrong turn and you’re flying.
She had to watch the festival from a distant viewing platform and said she had no access to merchandise, food vendors or ‘atmosphere’ at the event
What is cerebral palsy?
The symptoms of cerebral palsy are not usually obvious just after a baby is born. They normally become noticeable during the first 2 or 3 years of a child’s life.
Symptoms can include:
- delays in reaching development milestones – for example, not sitting by 8 months or not walking by 18 months
- seeming too stiff or too floppy
- weak arms or legs
- fidgety, jerky or clumsy movements
- random, uncontrolled movements
- walking on tiptoes
- a range of other problems – such as swallowing difficulties, speaking problems, vision problems and learning disabilities
The severity of symptoms can vary significantly. Some people only have minor problems, while others may be severely disabled.
‘It took two or three people at a time to assist me up and down.’
She said the access to the entrance was ‘just the beginning’, continuing: ‘We got in just about, but they got us waiting in the sun for an hour, with no seats.
‘I was sat on cinder blocks. They hadn’t prioritised preparing the accessibility area. If I hadn’t come with a chair that day, I would have been stood for a considerable amount of time.’
The 25-year-old then had to watch the festival from a distant viewing platform, adding: ‘You can see the view of the stage – we’re essentially outside the festival.
‘There’s no step access down into the venue with anyone else. We’re away from food vendors, the atmosphere, merchandise…’
Spokesperson for the Wireless Festival said they had been in touch with all access customers had been offered a refund and a full letter apology.
But Katouche still said she wasn’t impressed, continuing: ‘We had to reach out to them first, after all the commotion we made.
‘They didn’t reach out to us pre-emptively after seeing how the event had gone.
‘They’ve ignored and not publicly acknowledged how they’ve treated us up to this point.’
She claimed: ‘I have a number of friends who have spoken to Wireless in the past about issues with access and they do have an organisation that they consult with.
‘But they haven’t been in consistent consultation with them since 2017. And they weren’t in consultation with them for this most recent festival.’
Meanwhile Katouche said even band members were surprised by the positioning of the access area.
She explained: ‘On one of the days, I ran into Roddy Ricch band members who said they were expecting to see me at the side of the stage.
‘And I thought to myself, “You’ve no idea where I am. You’re never going to see me.”
‘For them it’s common place. They’ve toured all over the world and even if you look at the comments made in the media by some talent members, you see there is a consistent issue with how many people think disabled people should interact with society and what we are deserving of.’
Katouche pointed at the distant stage (left), stating she felt ‘Sooo far away’ from the event. And right: Goll’s sister puts her belongings on the only chair they were given on the plastic stage
Fazilet Hadi, head of policy at charity Disability Rights UK, previously said the way Katouche had been treated at the festival was ‘unacceptable’.
She added: ‘What should have been a joyous and fun occasion, turned into disappointment and frustration for Disabled festival goers.
‘This is absolutely unacceptable. Disabled people are a fifth of the population and we need to be welcomed and included at public events.
‘The Equality Act requires festivals to be run in ways which meet our needs and no festival should treat us as second class citizens.’
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