Greater Manchester Police said three were arrested on suspicion of assault, one of them a serious ‘section 18’ assault inside the venue while another was held for a less serious assault outside
A high-ranking police officer has commended the conduct of the 160,000 attendees at the first two Oasis homecoming gigs at Heaton Park, following a security operation that resulted in 15 arrests over the concert weekend.
Around six individuals were arrested during the first gig on Friday night, primarily for being drunk and disorderly. However, police also stepped in when drone operators were caught trying to launch their devices in ‘restricted air space’, leading to the seizure of five drones.
A further nine were arrested at last night’s second concert, each event drawing a crowd of 80,000.
Most were detained on suspicion of fraud after trying to gain entry to the gig with counterfeit accreditation. Security personnel have had difficulty preventing scores of ticketless fans from storming the gates or scaling the perimeter fencing to watch the gigs.
GMP stated that of those apprehended, three were arrested on suspicion of assault, one of them a serious ‘section 18’ assault inside the venue while another was held for a less serious assault outside. One suspect was detained after a member of security staff was attacked, Greater Manchester Police said in an update, reports the Manchester Evening News.
The policing operation deployed by GMP for the gigs has been akin to operations for major football matches. It will be replicated for the remaining three Oasis concerts at Heaton Park on Wednesday, Saturday and next Sunday.
‘Section 47’ dispersal orders were enforced for the first two concerts, granting police the authority to order individuals to vacate the area and arrest them if they refuse.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Boyle stated: “We have been planning for these events for several months, working with partners and the organisers to make sure everyone can enjoy the concerts safely.
“I’m pleased to report that the first two Oasis homecoming events have been a success.
“What has been particularly gratifying is how over 100,000 people have enjoyed these iconic events safely and without incident. We will maintain a highly visible presence in and around Heaton Park, and across the city, to ensure the next three events continue to pass safely.
“A number of ticketless individuals attempted to gain entry through a perimeter gate on Saturday night but were unsuccessful.
“We continue to support the event organisers and the local authority with their plans to prevent any unauthorised access to the arena site.
“Whilst arrests have thankfully been minimal, we have had to take some suspects into custody, including one following an alleged assault on a steward on Saturday night. We will not tolerate any abuse of anyone doing their job.
“On Friday night we also addressed a number of breaches of airspace restrictions involving drones where our officers seized five drones and spoke to two other pilots.
“We continue to have airspace restrictions in place on the nights of the concerts and anyone found breaching the one-and-a-half-mile restriction zone could face prosecution.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
