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Download festival rockers told to take off smartwatches after moshpits spark emergency alerts
Police received nearly 700 false ‘collision’ 999 calls from Leicestershire heavy metal event in 2023
When hundreds of 999 calls came in from fans at the Download festival two years ago, the emergency services must have thought a disaster was unfolding at the three-day heavy metal gig in Leicestershire. In fact, the calls were made automatically from smartwatches and other devices worn by fans because “the tech assumed that people in moshpits had been in a collision”, according to Leicestershire police. Photograph: Jason Sheldon/Junction10/Rex/Shutterstock“In previous years, due to wearable tech issues, we saw a rise of nearly 700 extra 999 calls in a weekend,” Leicestershire police said on social media this week.
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