British police says responding to serious incident at venue where Ariana Grande performing

By Alistair Smout

REUTERS

 

LONDON (Reuters) - British police said on Monday they had responded to a serious incident at a venue in the northern English city of Manchester where U.S. singer Ariana Grande had been performing.

 

"Emergency services responding to serious incident at Manchester Arena," Greater Manchester Police said. "Avoid the area."

 

Witnesses reported hearing a huge bang at the venue, Sky News said on Monday.

 

A video posted on Twitter showed fans screaming and running inside the venue.

 

Reuters was not immediately able to verify the reports on social media.

 

Britain is on its second-highest alert level of "severe" meaning an attack by militants is considered highly likely.

 

(Editing by Guy Faulconbridge)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-23

Deaths confirmed after Manchester Arena blast reports

 

MANCHESTER: -- Police have confirmed a "number of fatalities" following reports of an explosion at Manchester Arena.

 

Witnesses reported hearing a "huge bang" following an Ariana Grande gig at Manchester Arena.

 

Network Rail said train lines out of Manchester Victoria station, which is close to the concert venue, were blocked.

 

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-40007886

 

-- © Copyright BBC 2017-05-23

Watching now on Sky. It appears very serious. Fingers crossed.

Saw this dashcam video on Twitter from outside the venue.

At 07 secs on the LHS you can see a faint flash and hear the explosion. (the flash appears a sec before the sound of the bang because light travels faster than sound).

 

 Better video:

 

Edited May 22, 20179 yr by katana

Also came across this unconfirmed photo on Twitter.

If you zoom in at the area through the door there appears to be a lot of damage.

Appears to be 4 years ago to the day of Lee Rigby's murder.

 

 

Edited May 23, 20179 yr by KhunBENQ
on request: 3 years -> 4 years

Some killed in blast at Ariana Grande concert in British arena

REUTERS

 

 

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - A blast on Monday night at a concert in the northern English city of Manchester where U.S. singer Ariana Grande had been performing left an unknown number of people dead and injured, police said.

 

Police said they were responding to reports of an explosion and that there were a number of confirmed casualties and others injured.

 

"We were making our way out and when we were right by the door there was a massive explosion and everybody was screaming," concert-goer Catherine Macfarlane told Reuters.

 

"It was a huge explosion -- you could feel it in your chest. It was chaotic. Everybody was running and screaming and just trying to get out."

 

Manchester Arena, the largest indoor arena in Europe, opened in 1995 and has a capacity for 21,000 people, according to its website. It is a popular concert and sporting venue.

 

A spokesman for Ariana Grande's record label said that the singer was "okay". A video posted on Twitter showed fans screaming and running out of the venue.

 

Britain is on its second-highest alert level of "severe" meaning an attack by militants is considered highly likely.

 

(Reporting by Alistair Smout; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Sandra Maler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-23

 

If this is indeed a terrorist act, that has targeted young people and kids it is a terrible, cowardly and evil thing to do.

RIP to those who have been killed, a speedy recovery to those injured and an even speedier arrest of those evil sons of bitches responsible.

Britain will NEVER surrender to terrorists.

BREAKING

 

Sky News report "19 dead, 50 injured in Manchester "explosion"

 

BBC reporting at least 19 dead

 

For those not aware Skynews offers a live stream via YouTube here in Thailand.

 

 

Weibo here is saying it's ISIS behind this tragedy unconfirmed. Shocking.

Some British politician today will say "we will not be defeated by terrorism" there will be no mention of muslims in that speech.

At least 19 dead in blast at Ariana Grande concert in British arena

By Jon Super

 

 

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - A blast on Monday night at a concert in the English city of Manchester where U.S. singer Ariana Grande had been performing left at least 19 people dead and about 50 injured in what British police said was being treated as a terrorist incident.

 

Police said they were responding to reports of an explosion and that there were a number of confirmed fatalities and others injured at the arena, which has a capacity for 21,000 people.

 

A witness who attended the concert said she felt a huge blast as she was leaving the arena, followed by screaming and a rush as thousands of people trying to escape.

 

"We were making our way out and when we were right by the door there was a massive explosion and everybody was screaming," concert-goer Catherine Macfarlane told Reuters.

 

"It was a huge explosion - you could feel it in your chest. It was chaotic. Everybody was running and screaming and just trying to get out."

 

Witnesses reported that many children were at the concert.

 

Manchester Arena, the largest indoor arena in Europe, opened in 1995 and is a popular concert and sporting venue.

 

A spokesman for Ariana Grande, 23, said the singer was "okay". A video posted on Twitter showed fans, many of them young, screaming and running from the venue.

 

Britain is on its second-highest alert level of "severe" meaning an attack by militants is considered highly likely.

 

(Reporting by Alistair Smout; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Sandra Maler, Toni Reinhold)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-23

BREAKING

 

 

"Within an hour of reports of the incident emerging, people began offering spare rooms and beds to people stranded in the city using the hashtag #RoomForManchester."

Proof the British people come together and get stronger after tragedy. Some evil religious lunatics will never break the British spirit. We have been through it with the IRA and we will come through this too.

RIP to the 19 confirmed dead. I fear that children are going to be among the casualties, from this sick act.

Stating the obvious but it's an evil mind that decides to attack a venue full of youngsters, mostly teens, many of them with parents waiting for them outside. Too sick for words. RIP.

2nd suspect device destroyed in Cathedral Gardens

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horrible

US officials: Suicide bomber suspected ......

4 hours ago, johna said:

Some British politician today will say "we will not be defeated by terrorism" there will be no mention of muslims in that speech.

 

There's a surprise.

5 hours ago, darksidedog said:

If this is indeed a terrorist act, that has targeted young people and kids it is a terrible, cowardly and evil thing to do.

RIP to those who have been killed, a speedy recovery to those injured and an even speedier arrest of those evil sons of bitches responsible.

Britain will NEVER surrender to terrorists.

 

'No one expects us to surrender.'

 

But some of us would like to see robust positive action against the people responsible.

38 minutes ago, johna said:

Some British politician today will say "we will not be defeated by terrorism" there will be no mention of muslims in that speech.

Please don't immediately start with the PC right wing commentary.

 

Condolences to the loved ones and friends of the murdered and injured. Hopefully those responsible will be quickly arrested and face the full force of the law.

Just now, yogi100 said:

 

'No one expects us to surrender.'

 

But some of us would like to see robust positive action against the people responsible.

Reports are coming in that it was a suicide bomber, so at least one of the sick tossers is dead. I am highly confident the British cops will make numerous arrests and a number of sick and dangerous people will be removed from society.

My sympathies to all the innocent people involved, This is tragic, especially since we all expect this sort of thing these days but we can't speak of the root cause without being labelled racist. Sorry to all the martyrs of the European civilization suicide.

6 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

My sympathies to all the innocent people involved, This is tragic, especially since we all expect this sort of thing these days but we can't speak of the root cause without being labelled racist. Sorry to all the martyrs of the European civilization suicide.

 

Well said, but describing it as tragic would imply that it's a tragedy. But it's not a tragedy it's a vile, evil atrocity carried out by vile, evil creatures.

My sympathies to all the innocent people involved, This is tragic, especially since we all expect this sort of thing these days but we can't speak of the root cause without being labelled racist. Sorry to all the martyrs of the European civilization suicide.

I very much doubt that "race" will have played any part in this atrocity, so being labelled racist shouldn't be an issue.

55 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Reports are coming in that it was a suicide bomber, so at least one of the sick tossers is dead. I am highly confident the British cops will make numerous arrests and a number of sick and dangerous people will be removed from society.

I'm confident as well that follow-up arrests will be made. However, this does nothing for the already dead and injured and their families.

 

This is not criticism on the authorities and intelligence gathering services, but rather outlining the massive job they have to do to keep people safe from these maniacs,

It does appear security was lax. Those who attended the concert had a cursory glance in their purses. Manchester Arena saying the explosion was in a public place. One witness was blown inside through an open door.


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I hope there will be a robust and appropriate response to those responsible and the communities who harboured them. Time NOT to turn the other cheek.