Axe Ceremonia 2025 Festival remains silent for hours after tragedy leaves two dead; the show continued as if nothing had happened

It was six in the evening when the tragedy occurred at the Axe Ceremonia 2025 Festival. A metal structure collapsed inside Bicentennial Park, leaving two people dead, as confirmed hours later by the Secretariat of Comprehensive Risk Management and Civil Protection (SGIRPC). But throughout the rest of the festival, the music continued.

While forensic personnel conducted fieldwork in the accident area and paramedics treated the victims—some with head trauma and fractures, according to IMSS-Bienestar—thousands of attendees remained oblivious to what had happened. Videos, unanswered questions, and complaints about the alleged deletion of comments on the event’s official accounts began circulating on social media.

Without an immediate statement from the organizers, confusion and outrage grew. The victims were unofficially identified as Citlali Berenice Giles Rivera, 28, and Miguel Ángel Rojas, 26. Both worked as photographers, and at least one of them was part of the coverage team for the independent media outlet Mr. Indie, which specializes in alternative music and festivals.

Journalist Carlos Jiménez released the names through his X account (formerly Twitter). According to reports, the Mexico City Prosecutor’s Office has already opened an investigation, while the Secretariat of Comprehensive Risk Management and Civil Protection attributed the accident to a lack of supervision by the organizers and operational areas of the Miguel Hidalgo mayor’s office.