STORY: Summernats car festival draws record crowd in Australian capital
SHOOTING DATE: Jan. 6, 2024
DATELINE: Jan. 9, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:33
LOCATION: Canberra
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the festival and participants

STORYLINE:

Authorities have celebrated a successful edition of Australia's biggest motoring festival despite safety concerns following a crowd brawl.

Organizers of Summernats, Australia's biggest celebration of horsepower, on Sunday announced a record sell-out crowd of 130,000 people attended the 36th edition of the four-day festival at Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC), beating the previous record crowd of 125,000 set in 2023.
   
Attendees at the festival saw 2,500 cars from Australia and New Zealand displayed as well as competitive driving events, music and exhibition and trade shows.
   
A 1968 Dodge Charger belonging to Queensland-based collector Joe Bauer was on Sunday named the Summernats 36 Grand Champion, which recognizes modified car excellence, and Victoria's Andrew Lynch won Summernats Burnout Masters for the first time.
   
However, the event was marred by a large crowd brawl on Saturday.
   
Videos of the altercation published on social media show a large group of men, some of whom were wearing vests marked "crowd safety", clashing.
   
Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Policing made no arrests in relation to the brawl but said it was investigating.
   
In a statement on Sunday, Summernats organizers said they, along with security contractor Red Dawn, have launched an investigation into an incident involving patrons and security staff.
   
"Summernats and Red Dawn take their responsibilities for the safety and security of everyone at the event very seriously," the statement said.
   
It marks the second consecutive year where poor crowd behavior tarnished the event after ACT Policing closed the cruise circuit early in 2023 due to safety concerns and criticized organizers for inadequate crowd control.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Canberra.
(XHTV)