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Belgian authorities cancelled Katy Perry's headlining slot at the Werchter Boutique festival on Saturday, citing an imminent severe weather threat and crowd safety concerns for approximately 55,000 attendees.
The Rock Werchter safety committee — a body that includes festival organizers and all relevant government authorities — ordered the one-day event to close after Pitbull's performance rather than run through to Perry's scheduled 10 p.m.
The governor of Flemish Brabant backed the call with a formal BE-Alert, removing any operational path back to the stage.
A Government Order, Not a Production Decision The distinction matters to how Perry characterized the situation. She was already backstage, mid-hair-and-makeup, when festival management delivered the news.
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