Protesters at Boiler Room event in New York "assaulted" and "trampled"

A group of activists were allegedly "assaulted" and "trampled" during a Boiler Room event in New York over the weekend as they protested against the broadcaster and promoter's ties to KKR.

In videos shared on Instagram, a group of protesters were seen hosting a "die-in" during the first night of a two-day Boiler Room takeover at Under The K Bridge on Friday, July 10, a form of protest where participants lie down and act dead.

They stood in opposition to Boiler Room’s links to KKR, the parent company of its owner Superstruct Entertainment, which is alleged to have investments in weapon manufacturing, the controversial Coastal GasLink Pipeline and Israeli companies that operate in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The picket was set up by campaign group Boycott Room, who encouraged protesters to "come resist with us and be part of the refusal to cede cultural ground to these war-profiteers."

In a video shared from Friday’s event, protesters are seen wearing T-shirts reading: "KKR colonises, KKR kills" and "Boiler Room is owned by Israeli arms investors" as they lay on the floor surrounded by clubbers.

Further footage shows protesters being jumped on by those around them, which Boycott Room claims went unnoticed for 18 minutes before security took action.

"The rave went on as usual while our martyrs' faces were trampled with indifference," the campaign group claimed. "Endangering humans to protect their brand."

Detroit-hailing rapper LELO, who performed on the night, appeared on stage wearing a ‘Free Palestine’ T-shirt. He’s yet to make a comment about the event.

During the second night of Boiler Room’s two-day New York event, which featured artists such as KI/KI, Interplanetary Criminal, and ØTTA, more demonstrations and a "counter-rave" took place.

A video shows one protester walking up to the booth to stop the music before presenting an anti-Boiler Room T-shirt to the crowd. They were quickly removed from the stage.

Boiler Room has yet to make a comment publicly. After it was acquired by Superstruct Entertainment in 2025, the broadcaster and promoter shared a statement clarifying its support for Palestine, claiming that staff don't hold "any ownership or voting rights in the company”.

"We are also unable to divest because we have no say in our ownership," the statement read. "No investor, past or present, has ever influenced our output, this will never change."

Mixmag has reached out to Boiler Room for comment.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor