Law enforcement officials in the United Kingdom have opened a formal investigation following an alleged intimate encounter between two attendees on a Ferris wheel at this year’s Download festival.
According to a report from The Sun, the highly public incident took place on Saturday, June 13. Festivalgoers were reportedly waiting for headliners Guns N’ Roses to take the stage at Donington Park in Castle Donington when the event unfolded.
One witness, a regular attendee of the massive rock festival, spoke to the Daily Star about the bizarre scene.
“They were literally in a glass pod above everyone’s heads at the busiest point of the night, just before Guns N’ Roses were due on. It sort of brought everyone together in a weird way. Before they were spotted, the atmosphere was nervous apprehension because [Guns N’ Roses are] always late on. As soon as the cameras came out and word started getting around about what happened, the atmosphere completely changed — they made the night. All I can think is they thought the glass was tinted, but it wasn’t at all; it was actually spotless, you could see everything,” one witness said.
A spokesperson for the Leicestershire Police also provided a direct statement to the Daily Star regarding the viral occurrence.
“Officers are aware of a video on social media concerning two people acting inappropriately while on a Ferris wheel at Download this weekend. The incident is currently being investigated and officers are in contact with the organizers of the festival. Enquiries in relation to this are ongoing and police are working to identify the people involved.”
However, not all attendees found the situation amusing. Lindsey Williams, who brought her 10-year-old daughter to the event, expressed her outrage to Birmingham World.
“It was disgusting. My daughter apparently saw it, and she told me after that she was really confused with what was going on, but it’s vile for that to happen in the open like that, especially where children could see,” she said.
Established in 2003, Download festival is recognized as the premier open-air heavy metal and rock event in the United Kingdom. Hosted annually each June at Donington Park, the gathering boasts a massive 80,000-person capacity. Over its history, the revered festival has featured legendary headlining acts like Iron Maiden, Slipknot, Black Sabbath, Metallica, and Green Day.
The 2026 edition of the Download festival was headlined by Limp Bizkit, Guns N’ Roses, and Linkin Park, with all three bands delivering U.K.-exclusive performances for the massive crowd.
Linkin Park also set a historic milestone during their headlining set on Sunday, June 14, 2026. While this marked the fifth time Linkin Park has topped the bill since the festival launched in 2003, Sunday’s concert carried special significance. By featuring Emily Armstrong on vocals, the group officially became the first band with a female singer to ever headline Download festival. Armstrong joined the reformed lineup in 2023, stepping in for the late Chester Bennington. Fans in attendance witnessed a massive 23-song setlist divided into four distinct acts. Drawing heavily from their entire catalog, Linkin Park, a band highly experienced in curating major events after launching their own multi-genre “Projekt Revolution” tours in the early 2000s, delivered a mix of modern tracks, classic anthems, and a rare side-project cover.
