Security tight as Manchester prepares for benefit concert
A benefit concert for the victims of last month’s Manchester bombing was due to go ahead on Sunday night despite attacks in London on Saturday in which seven people were killed.
Scooter Braun, the agent for headliner Ariana Grande, said the One Love Manchester concert “will not only continue, but do so with greater purpose”.
The show will raise money for those impacted by the bomb attack on May 22, which struck the Manchester Arena at the end of a concert by Grande.
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Twenty-two people were killed and more than 100 wounded when Salman Abedi detonated an explosive device in the Arena foyer as fans were departing.
More than 14,000 tickets out of approximately 50,000 for Sunday’s concert have been set aside to be given free to fans who attended the original show.
Tight security was already planned but police warned concertgoers they would implement additional checks in the wake of Saturday’s attacks, including searching everyone in attendance.
Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan of Greater Manchester police reminded the public that Britain’s terror threat level was currently at severe, which means that an attack is highly likely.
Grande tweeted that she was “praying for London” hours after the London attacks took place. On Saturday, she had visited fans still receiving hospital treatment for injuries sustained during the Manchester attack.
In addition to Grande, Sunday’s concert will feature performances from acts including Coldplay, the Black Eyed Peas, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Take That, Katy Perry, Usher and Pharrell Williams.
Marcus Mumford, formerly of the band Mumford & Sons, was announced as a late addition to the line-up of performers on Saturday.
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The concert is being broadcast in Britain by the BBC, which said networks in 38 other countries will also broadcast the show.
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