Police presence at music festivals has led to panic among festival goers.

According to a new study, police presence at music festivals can lead to a feeling of panic among festivalgoers. The research, which was carried out by the University of Manchester , found that when police officers are visible at a festival, attendees are more likely to report feeling panicked and anxious.

The study surveyed 1,000 people who had attended a music festival in the UK in the last five years. Respondents were asked to rate their level of agreement with a series of statements about police presence, including ‘I felt the police were overbearing’ and ‘I felt the police were intrusive’.

The study's authors say that this feeling of panic is likely due to the fact that police officers are often associated with law enforcement and violence. When people see police officers at a festival, they may feel as though they are in danger of being arrested or experiencing some other form of violence.

The study  say that police departments should be aware of this effect and take it into consideration when deploying officers to festivals. They also recommend that festival organizers work with police departments to create a safety plan that takes this effect into account.

They suggest that a more “hands-off” approach may be more effective in reducing crime and keeping people safe. This could involve having police officers patrol the perimeter of festivals, rather than being visible within the event itself. The study’s authors say that more research is needed to explore the most effective way to police festivals.