A foreign traveller has alleged that she and her friend were harassed and touched without consent during the Post Malone concert in Guwahati, triggering a fresh debate on women’s safety at large public events.
Emma, a backpacker travelling across Southeast Asia, shared a video on Instagram showing her trying to push her way out of a densely packed crowd. In her post, she alleged that both she and her friend, Amina, were “touched without consent” within minutes of entering the general admission area at the concert.
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“Do you think concerts are a safe place for women in India? Last night at the Post Malone concert in Guwahati things turned serious very quickly. As two women in the crowd, both me and Amina were touched without consent within minutes of entering the packed area,” she wrote.
She said the situation escalated so quickly that the two of them were forced to leave the crowd and move towards the vendor section, where they finally felt safe. Emma added that they were unable to enjoy the show after the incident.
‘This isn’t crowd pushing. It’s harassment,’ says traveller
In her post, Emma emphasised that what they experienced could not be dismissed as normal concert behaviour.
“This isn’t ‘normal crowd pushing’. It’s part of a wider issue of violence against women and the way harassment is minimised in public spaces,” she wrote, adding that no concert should ever force women to choose between enjoying a performance and safeguarding themselves.
Her friend Amina also described the incident as unexpected and distressing. “We came for Post Malone. I did not expect that level of harassment,” she said. Amina added that a few men nearby helped them exit the crowd safely, something Emma also acknowledged in her post.
‘This does not reflect the entire city’
Despite the alleged incident, Emma made it clear that her experience should not paint Guwahati or its people in a negative light.
“Throughout our time here, we’ve experienced so much kindness, warmth and genuine hospitality. We met countless people last night who were lovely, respectful, and excited to share the moment,” she wrote.
She concluded by saying, “Women deserve to feel safe. Not just at concerts, but everywhere.”
Online reactions
Several social media users responded in support of the travellers, with many expressing shame and apologising on behalf of the city.
One user wrote, “As someone from this place, I feel deeply ashamed that you went through this. You deserved joy, not fear.” Another commented, “So sorry you went through this.”
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Others criticised those attempting to blame the women for choosing general admission tickets instead of condemning the alleged harassment.
American pop-country singer Post Malone performed in Guwahati as part of his India tour. During the event, he paid tribute to late Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, who passed away in September.
