YouTubers sue Burning Man for allegedly “threatening” them and preventing filming

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Robert and Emma Forney, a father-daughter team who run the popular true crime YouTube channel Explore With Us, are taking legal action against the organizers of Burning Man. They allege they were threatened and blocked from filming at the famous festival in Nevada.

The popular duo, with more than 7 million followers, is suing the organizers of the 2024 Black Rock Desert cleanup, claiming they were illegally prevented from filming the event.

The Forneys filed a complaint with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, stating that local law enforcement and Bureau of Land Management officials warned them they were trespassing, allegedly on behalf of Burning Man organizers. They believe this action infringed upon their right to free speech.

The lawsuit states that people connected to the festival aggressively confronted and threatened them.

Burning Man responds to YouTubers’ lawsuit

Keeping the Black Rock Desert clean is essential to Burning Man’s identity, as the event promotes itself as a massive gathering committed to leaving no trace behind.

I recently came across this really interesting documentary online by the Forneys called “What Burning Man Doesn’t Want You to See.” It’s almost two hours long and shows all the trash left behind after the event. It’s already gotten over 150,000 views on YouTube, which is pretty incredible! And apparently, they posted another video back in June – it’s footage from the 2022 Burn and has a whopping 4 million views! It’s definitely getting people talking.

Explore With Us reported that certain individuals were allegedly making false copyright claims to try and remove the video. They stated that using copyright law in this way to suppress information is not only ineffective but also reveals what those making the claims are trying to hide from the public.

EWU Media is taking legal action to protect its right to film on public land and report on Burning Man’s effects, according to their lawyer, Maggie McLetchie.

Information about how a group uses public land shouldn’t be controlled by that group alone. Also, police shouldn’t be directed by the ‘Black Rock Rangers,’ a self-appointed group associated with the Burning Man event.

Meanwhile, festival organizers have dismissed the lawsuit as baseless.

Burning Man believes the lawsuit is baseless and without merit, and plans to strongly defend itself in court. They will also pursue legal options against EWU Media LLC, according to spokesperson Dominique Debucquoy-Dodley.

This incident is just the latest in a series of unusual events at the 2025 festival, which has already been in the news for several reasons. These include reports of deaths, a wedding between professional poker players, and a surprising birth – a woman gave birth at the festival unaware she was pregnant.

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2025-09-24 19:51