"I'm at a loss for words": Netizens outraged following alleged racist behavior of security guards at M Countdown in France music show

On Sunday, October 15, the music show organized by CJ ENM, M Countdown in France, was rolled with its exciting artist lineup. While fans were excited about the concert and the artists' show-stopping performances, their attention was soon shifted to a more serious situation. After the end of the music show, the attendees alleged racist behavior of the bodyguards towards a young Asian man.

Fans' reactions to the guard's aggressive restraining (Image via pannchoa)

“Wow, I’m at a loss for words… They only harassed Asians.” (Translation via Koreaboo)

One of the videos on the internet showed that the guards used violence against a young Asian man after he was seen using a camera at the event, which was prohibited inside the venue. The other attendees also expressed that while the guards used physical violence on him, they calmly collected the cameras from others. This led netizens to believe that there might be racist undertones to the behavior.

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Netizens claim guards used violence only on the Asian man, not other European attendees of M Countdown in France

MCountdown in France, the annual music show by CJ ENM, is held in different countries every year. This year, the event gathered around 22,000 attendees to enjoy the artist lineup. The lineup included ZEROBASEONE, ELZ7UP, Dreamcatcher, TREASURE, Monsta X’s Shownu X Hyungwon, NCT DREAM, SHINee’s Taemin, and Psy.

As fans enjoyed M Countdown in France, the incident between the security guards and an Asian attendee resulted in chaos. The person who released the viral video said that though many fansites (people filming the performances at the M Countdown in France with their cameras) were removed from the venue, it was most aggressively executed with the particular young Asian male.

This prompted netizens to say that France has been more cautious about security due to the higher risk of terrorist activity. However, people still argued that the guards' behavior with the Asian man was a little extreme.

The racist allegations towards the security guards especially began as other attendees expressed that despite several other Europeans filming with their cameras, the guard’s violence and cautious behavior were particularly directed towards Asians.

Given the intensity of the issue, many have been raising their voices against the alleged discrimination and racist attitude upheld by the security at the M Countdown in France. Here are some reactions to the video:

Star News reported that following the allegations, Mnet, the event organizer, released a statement expressing that they're investigating the intentions and reasons behind the guards' activities.

"Professional cameras are not allowed at the Parïs La Défense Arena. We disclosed this on our official platforms. The performance at the arenas had the same rules in place. We are investigating if security officials acted inappropriately while restraining." (Translation via KKoreaboo)

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Following the incident at M Countdown in France, netizens hope that a proper explanation for their behavior is provided and that they are held accountable for their actions.