Protesters Say They Were Shoved and Trampled at Boiler Room NYC's KKR Die-In; Organizers Say They're Reviewing Footage
On Friday, July 10, 2026, the protest group Boycott Room staged a "die-in" demonstration — lying on the ground as if dead — during the first night of a two-night Boiler Room event at Under The K Bridge in New York. The protest targeted Boiler Room's financial links to American private equity firm KKR. According to Mixmag, some protesters were reportedly shoved and trampled by other attendees during the demonstration.
What sparked the protest, and what happened on the ground
Boiler Room was acquired in 2025 by Superstruct Entertainment, whose parent company is KKR. Boycott Room and other protesters allege KKR holds investments tied to Israeli weapons manufacturing and to Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank.
Boycott Room says protesters were "trampled with indifference" during the die-in and accused Boiler Room of "endangering people's physical safety to protect its brand image." On the second night of the event, demonstrators reportedly climbed onto the stage in an attempt to interrupt the performance before being removed by staff.
A Boiler Room spokesperson responded that the organization is aware of video circulating online — including one clip showing "behavior toward protesters by an attendee that has no place at our events" — and stressed that it respects the right to peaceful protest. The organization said it is reviewing the incident together with the venue, and advised anyone who believes they were harmed to file a police report. NME says it has reached out to Superstruct, KKR, and Boiler Room for comment.
The broader KKR controversy
Superstruct Entertainment also operates festivals including Field Day, Mighty Hoopla, Sónar, and Tramlines, with the group valued at roughly $1.3 billion. Since KKR's takeover, a wave of boycotts has hit the industry: in 2025, more than 50 artists including Massive Attack and Brian Eno signed an open letter demanding Field Day cut ties with KKR, while 11 other artists announced a boycott of Field Day in solidarity with Palestine.
Tramlines has publicly stated it will not "send a single euro to KKR," and Mighty Hoopla issued a statement expressing its "clear opposition" to KKR's investments.