What exactly happened at that concert with JLS? I heard a barrier fell over, but why, what exactly happened? Also heard about a stabbing, but I suppose that sort of things happens a lot in Birmingham. I heard about a car crash too. My brother is in Birmingham for a month working in some hug shopping mall as a BT Salesman, so I was just wondering.
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Answer 1 :
Crowd numbers According to reports, about 20,000 to 21,000 (officially) or 27,000 people (police estimates) turned up for a show at Birmingham's Millennium Point, Jennens Lane, which had been expected to attract just 5,000 fans. [11][2] [3] [12] [4] [7][8][13] [14] [edit] The 'JLS effect' During a December, 2008, concert in Croydon about 2,000 turned up, not the planned 1,500 to 1,600. Five people were slightly injured at the event. A teenage girl got asthma attack and then had a panic attack in the wake of it, and a man was taken back to his home in West Wickham Street after choking on a drink during the concert. The teenager told the Croydon Guardian she was helped from the crowd after suffering both an asthma and panic attack due to the chaotic situation. The woman had been queuing since 1:00 pm and had noted that when the school kids turned up it became really busy and then the kids started pushing their way in, squashing those at the front of the ques. She also recalled that a pregnant woman was in the crowd and nether of them could move or get out. Officers from the Metropolitan Police said they were called to the bash at Fairfield Halls, Croydon, at 4:00 pm (GMT) after being alerted of a crushing insolent at a local free music event [12][1][15] [16][17][18][19]. A similar event, in Hull, shortly afterwards attracted 3,000 people, but no one was hurt that time. A fairly popular gig in Manchester had also passed over peacefully [20][21] . [edit] The event The free event, organised by 96.4FM BRMB Radio and Birmingham City Council, was to kick off at 2pm, followed by the big Christmas lights switch-on at 7.30 pm and a later fireworks display.[11][2] [3] [12] [4][7] [22] [23] [24] [25] Crowds began to swell at about 1:30 pm in Jennens Lane as a crowd of about 20,000 to 21,000 began to push at the inadequate fencing. At the end of the JLS performance, another 7,000 or so young fans charged in to the area before the Sugarbabes could star there act and the police were overwhelmed.[11][2] [3] [12] [4][7] [26] [27] [28] [29] Some of the fans apparently became angry with the way the concert was being marshalled and began to throw umbrellas and bottles at the police and marshals at one point[30]. The rest of the concert and lights switch-on were eminently cancelled as paramedics set up a special unit to treat the wounded. It was then officially cancelled, according to Birmingham City Council due to safety concerns an emergency meeting was held and a joint decision was made between Birmingham City Council, BRMB, Millennium Point and the Emergency Services to cancel the event following JLS’s fantastic performance.[11][2] [3] [12] [4][7] [31] [32] [33] [34] [edit] Casualties Some 64 fans were injured, 4 critically, 2 of which had major crush injures. Two persons were crushed under a metal barrier as it collapsed in the stampede and another two were knocked to the ground by the initial surge according to the West Midlands Police service. The West Midlands Ambulance Service denied there had been any fatalities at the crush. Calvin Harris expressed his concerns over the lack of prevision for the growing crowds.[11][2] [3] [12] [4][35][7] [36] [37] [edit] The aftermath The Government's Culture Minister and the city council's Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport & Culture (Councillor Martin Mullaney) blamed the near tragedy on bad weather and a failure of the fencing for the incident, but local MP for Perry Barr, Khalid Mahmood blamed the city council's lack of preparations prior to the event. A government enquiry has been launched in to what had actually happened at the event. All parties to the debate agreed that the surge of fans that flocked in, out side of the main event were poorly handled and that the council could have erected big plasma TV screens outside the event for those unable to get in
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