Ariana Grande’s One Love Manchester concert to go ahead despite London terror attack
BRITISH police have confirmed Ariana Grande’s charity concert scheduled for later tonight in Manchester will go ahead. But they want people to take extra precautions.
BRITISH police have confirmed Ariana Grande’s charity concert scheduled for later tonight in Manchester will go ahead. But they want people to take extra precautions.
A police statement says the benefit concert will have its heavy security beefed up even further, with armed and unarmed officers being drafted - and volunteered - from across the country.
Greater Manchester Police say they want concert goers to travel by public transport and avoid carrying bags to reduce the chances of weapons or explosives being smuggled into the vicinity of the Old Trafford stadium.
American pop star Ariana Grande sent out a simple yet heartfelt tweet ahead of tonight’s scheduled Manchester benefit concert: Praying for London.
As of yesterday, One Love Manchester, the benefit concert being led by Grande, was set to go ahead despite terror attacks at London Bridge and Borough Market.
The concert, at Old Trafford Cricket Ground, was to honour the victims and families affected by the May 22 suicide bombing at Grande’s Manchester Arena concert which left 22 dead and 116 injured.
Justin Bieber, Coldplay, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Pharrell Williams, Take That, Niall Horan, Little Mix, Robbie Williams and Black Eyed Peas were also on the bill.
After news broke of yesterday’s terror attacks at London Bridge and Borough Market, Grande tweeted: “Praying for London” with a loveheart.
It followed her surprise visit to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital on Friday night in which she visited victim’s of Manchester and presented them with a sunflower and teddy bear.
Grande, 23, was integral to organising the concert and tickets sold out within six minutes after going on sale on Thursday, with more than 50,000 predicted to be in attendance.
Those who were at Grande’s Dangerous Woman show on May 22, when 22-year-old terrorist Salman Abedi detonated a suicide bomb, were gifted free tickets.
Police, sniffer dogs and security were a heavy presence around the grounds in the days leading up to the show while the stage was being built.
People were advised not to bring bags to the concert with police pledging to throw a “ring of steel” around the venue.
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Football fans who attended the Michael Carrick testimonial football match earlier in the day at nearby Old Trafford were also told to expect tight security.
A swarm of the former Nickelodeon star’s supporters had already started camping outside the venue up to 48 hours before the event.
Tents, blankets and pillows were perched out the front of the ground as early as Friday, with fans travelling from all over Europe to watch their idols perform.
A number of those staking out were not even ticket holders.
Portugal barista Marco Santos, 20, had travelled all the way from Lisbon, even though he didn’t manage to secure a ticket to the once in a lifetime show.
“I just felt like I needed to be here,” he said.
“I wanted to support Ariana and everyone who was here on that night.”
All proceeds from the concert, which cost $80 a ticket, will go towards the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund, set up by Manchester City Council in partnership with the British Red Cross, to support grieving families and victims.
Originally published as Ariana Grande’s One Love Manchester concert to go ahead despite London terror attack