Cannes Security Guard Involved In Heated Altercation with Kelly Rowland Facing Lawsuit for ‘Brutally’ Restraining Miss Europe 2023
On Tuesday, May 21, Kelly Rowland was involved in a heated confrontation with an usher on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. Within days, that same usher was involved in other incidents with notable figures. Now, it appears that the staffer could be on the receiving end of a possible lawsuit.
Model and Miss Europe 2023 Sawa Pontyjska is taking a stance after she says she experienced mistreatment at the hands of the same Cannes crew member who was in the confrontation with Kelly Rowland. Pontyjska is suing the organizers of the Cannes Film Festival for harassment following an incident that occurred between her and the usher on May 21 during the red carpet premiere of the French film “Marcello Mio.”
Pontyjska claims the woman denied her entry to the premiere even though she had a valid ticket. She told BBC News the security guard “brutally” restrained her as she attempted to enter the venue, even going as far as grabbing her by the neck and bear-hugging her in an attempt to stop her from going into the premiere.
The same usher who was involved in testy moment with Kelly Rowland on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet last month (left) apparently was involved in another one with Miss Europe 2023 Sawa Pontyjska. (Photos: Cannes Video Screenshots / TikTok)
The Ukrainian model and television presenter posted the alleged incident on her Instagram. The video shows a struggle between a female security guard and Pontyjska. At one point, Pontyjska drops to the ground before being confronted by more guards.
She shared on Instagram that she plans to file a lawsuit, captioning her post, “I need a serious lawyer who will help me sue the organizers of the Cannes Film Festival for a high-profile group case.”
“I always dreamed of getting into the Cannes Film Festival, but then I was shocked about rudeness and unreasonable use of physical force, which I experienced on the red carpet with other international stars,” she explains in the video.
According to the legal complaint, Pontyjska says she was “violently challenged” by security guards in front of thousands of people. She says the physical force used has caused “acute pain” and “psychological trauma,” as reported by the BBC.
She adds that the incident has harmed her reputation and is seeking 100,000 Euros ($108,519) in damages.
The security guard’s interactions have sparked significant backlash, with many calling on Cannes Film Festival organizers to fire the security guard. Organizers never released a public statement regarding the guard’s actions.
Pontyjska has posted photos of her documents on her TikTok page, where she is also documenting her journey to sue Cannes Festival.