Womad NZ 2024: Fans and frustrations during Ziggy Marley

As Womad headliner Ziggy Marley played to a packed crowd in New Plymouth last night, pro-Palestine protesters marched during his performance, while other festivalgoers attempting to leave the venue early found exits shut and were told to wait.

Womad headlining act, Ziggy Marley (son of the late Bob Marley), drew a huge audience to the TSB Bowl stage at New Plymouth’s Bowl of Brooklands on the second day of the festival, which kicked off on Friday March 16.

However, a crowd control measure caused frustrations when some festivalgoers attempted to leave the venue while Marley was on stage.

The gates next to the TSB Bowl Stage - which had been open all day for guests to pass in and out -were closed, and security and police were stationed at the exits.

Ticketholders were told they could not leave yet, with staff explaining it was a security-related decision by organisers.

The crowd appeared unaware of the closure, with no visible signage or push notifications from the Womad app.

Some visibly frustrated attendees complained to staff, as a jam of people formed behind them. Many were over 65, and there were parents holding sleeping children. The majority of the crowd waited patiently, and staff were calm and kept order.

Marley finished playing at 10.16 pm. At 10.25pm, a van - which is believed to have had Marley inside - could be seen driving from the TSB Bowl Stage out of the venue. The gates were then opened and festivalgoers left without incident.

His performance had begun at 8.45pm, opening with his 2003 song Shalom Salaam.

In February, ahead of Womad NZ, a collective of groups — Hala.aotearoa, Artists for Ceasefire and Aotearoa for Ceasefire — petitioned the New Zealand event to drop headliner Marley, who helped raise US$60 million for the Israel Defence Force in 2018, reported RNZ.

During Marley’s performance last night, a group of about 30 protesters silently walked the perimeter of the area holding small placards.

Many also congregated earlier that day for a rally at The Landing on Ariki St in central New Plymouth, which drew a group of around 40, and encouraged Womad festivalgoers to boycott Marley’s performance and to instead see Filipino-Wiradjuri artist Mo’ju from Australia.

At one point during their set, Mo’ju held a Palestinian flag and a keffiyeh, and called to “free Palestine”.

Earlier that night during the performance from Ukrainian folk quartet DakhaBrakha, accordion player Marko Halanevych dedicated a song to the people who stand with Ukraine and defend its freedom.