Chaos erupted at a Nigerian Afrobeats star Asake’s show on December 15 when revellers without tickets tried to force their way inside the O2 Academy Brixton. The deadly crush claimed the lives of security guard Gaby Hutchinson, 23, and Rebecca Ikumelo, 33.
Explosive claims have emerged that some security staff accepted bribes to sneak people in. A whistleblowing guard told BBC’s File On 4 that certain members of security pocketed “a couple of hundred” per person to let crowds flood inside.
“People were taking money… Some employees made £1,000 cash,” the guard revealed. “Our company knew what was going on and who was doing it, and they did nothing about it.”
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) has now stepped in to probe the allegations of corruption, working alongside the Metropolitan Police. Paul Fullwood, SIA’s inspections director, said:
“As the UK’s regulator of the private security industry, we take allegations of corruption extremely seriously. We are investigating these claims, which seem to stretch beyond the Brixton O2 Academy.”
“We will review licensing arrangements and take action against anyone involved in these practices.”
After the disaster, Lambeth Council’s licensing sub-committee suspended the venue’s licence for three months. Venue owners Academy Music Group (AMG) supported the decision and expressed condolences to the families affected.
Met Police lawyer Gerald Gouriet KC revealed some stark details:
“By 9pm, around 1,000 people had gathered outside, appearing they were about to get in. The venue locked the doors and called police at 9:04pm – who arrived at 9:16pm.”
“When officers arrived, the crowd forced the doors open, surging inside the lobby and auditorium. Several people fell and were trampled. We do not yet know the exact number of injuries.”
“Besides the two fatalities, a third victim remains in critical condition.”
The tragedy casts a harsh spotlight on crowd control and security failings as an investigation continues into the deadly crush at what should have been a night of music and fun.
Originally published by UKNIP.
