Oxegen Stabbings ‘An Isolated Incident’

Five teenagers suffered stab wounds at Oxegen Festival in Ireland July 9 but local police say it was an isolated incident and the event had less trouble than in previous years.

The stabbings, which made global headlines, happened a little after 4 a.m. on one of the festival’s largest campsites.

Four of the injured men were treated on site while a fifth man aged 19 was taken to Tallaght General Hospital for further treatment. His injuries weren’t thought to be life-threatening.

A police spokesman said the incident was “not indicative of the atmosphere at the festival in general,” although a couple of Irish papers said it was enough to make a handful of the 80,000 crowd to leave the following morning.

National broadcaster RTE later reported a man in his 20s was arrested in connection with the alleged assault but had been released without charge.

It also said there were 77 arrests at the festival, mainly for offenses including public order, road traffic and drugs charges.

Apart from reporting the stabbings, the UK media said the annual event at Punchestown race track was a success.

Headliners included Beyonce, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, Pendulum and Paolo Nutini.