The Powda Jouvert Fete at Vaucluse Raceway, St. Thomas had to be aborted after a large group of people stormed the event climbing over or knocking down the fencing and engaging in a series of scuffles with the roughly one hundred security personnel on duty including private security guards and police.

The event which started around 10 pm Saturday was invaded by dozens of people, mostly men but also some women.
Most of them wore white T-shirts and some had their faces covered.

Starcom Network News was told that the venue’s barricades were breached by large crowds of people from the northern, southern and western ends.

Several fights and skirmishes ensued and the police and event security decided to call off the fete.

A fire also erupted at a canteen at the venue but this was said to be an accident and unrelated to the other events. The blaze was extinguished by the fire service but the canteen operator suffered burns to his hands and his elbow.
Meantime, several people suffered various injuries during the incursion and resulting melee at the event and some were taken to hospital by ambulance.

A man was also stabbed in his abdomen while intervening in an assault and was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Two people are in custody in relation to that stabbing and others are being sought.

A vehicle was also reported stolen.

Meantime, one of the patrons also told Starcom Network News of bottles and other missiles being thrown.

Video footage circulating on social media showed the group swarming the venue.