Overview
- The incident occurred Thursday, May 21, when an individual reportedly launched tear gas toward the stage during a free, state‑organized concert in Podgorica that marked Montenegro’s 20th independence anniversary.
- Ricky Martin and his band left the stage immediately while security and medical teams evacuated affected audience members and treated those with eye or breathing irritation; no serious injuries have been reported.
- After local authorities and security declared the area safe the artist returned to the stage and completed the performance despite initial recommendations from some team members to cancel.
- Montenegrin police have opened an investigation into who deployed the gas but have not publicly identified or detained a suspect and have not provided further details about how the device entered the venue.
- The attack highlights vulnerabilities at large, open‑air public events and could lead to tighter security checks and new protocols for state‑backed celebrations and international tours.