Australian influencer Anna Paul has addressed the chaotic scenes at her recent meet and greet in Perth, which was shut down by police due to safety concerns. The event, held on 28 August to launch her merchandise collaboration with clothing brand Stax, saw large crowds that led to pushing and collapsing.
Videos shared by attendees showed fans screaming and jumping, with some reporting difficulty breathing. TikTok user @zoeyeyeee said she spent hours in line and later ended up in the emergency room after fainting. Another attendee, 23-year-old Lucy Marshall, described the crowd as uncontrollable, with people spitting gum and fights nearly breaking out.
In a TikTok video, Paul explained that the event was free to attend, but the police insisted on shutting it down after 20 minutes due to the overwhelming crowd size. She quoted officers as saying they had not seen such a turnout since a Justin Bieber concert. Paul emphasised that fan safety was the priority and acknowledged that the event should have been ticketed.
Western Australia police confirmed that ambulance services were called after multiple people collapsed. A statement said the event lacked appropriate security and planning for the crowd size, leading to its closure. Paul and Stax have been contacted for further comment.
