WEBINAR - LEARNING FROM THE MANCHESTER BOMBING
AND WEMBLEY FOOTBALL "NEAR MISS"
May 5, 2022 | Virtual Event
OVERVIEW
The Manchester Bombing and Wembley Football "Near Miss" - What have we learnt so far and are they really that different?
On May 8th 2017 a terrorist attacked an Ariane Grande Concert in Manchester, killing 22 innocent victims, many of them children. On 11th July 2021, drunk, drugged, lawless hooligans repeatedly forced entry to an English soccer final at Wembley Stadium in London; somehow, no one died!
On the face of it, how could those two things have anything in common, yet some of the similarities are remarkable and disconcerting.
This session will examine the failings that led to both and what we might do better in the future to prevent or recover from them.
Eric Stuart was the principal author on the safety aspects for the 'Baroness Casey Euros Review' at Wembley and has twice submitted evidence to the Manchester Inquiry. He has a unique insight into the challenges that both event teams faced and why things went wrong.
WEBINAR LECTURER
Eric Stuart, QPM, BA Hons, UKCMA
Eric is the director of Gentian Events, a Crowd Safety Management Company established in 2009, and Chairperson of the United Kingdom Crowd Management Association (UKCMA). Engaged in Crowd Safety Management for 15 years and working with crowds since 1980, his 33 year police career in London culminated in a planning role for Notting Hill Carnival and London New Year’s Eve, with viewing audiences of 1 million and 450k respectively. As ‘Chief of Staff’ for the planning and delivery of the 70 day London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, he was the only person to see the event through from initial planning through delivery and debrief.
Eric writes and delivers crowd safety plans at events from major music festivals to motor sports and from large carnival processions to New Year’s Fireworks. He works closely with private organizers, police and local authorities to achieve mutual understanding of each other’s roles in keeping crowds safe at major events. Eric is keen to ensure there is a better balance between the mathematics, physics and human behaviours when planning for crowds.
