Public enquiry into Manchester bombing

[mexico1970]

Manchester police didn't know the Ariana Grande concert was taking place on the night of the arena bombing as transport police were responsible for the venue, the inquiry has heard.

He told the hearing that Greater Manchester Police (GMP) "did not know on an organisational level about the Ariana Grande concert and had not made any provision or plan for the concert that night"

Manchester bombing: Police unaware Ariana Grande concert was taking place on night of attack, inquiry hears

The inquiry opened with the issues surrounding the emergency response to the arena bombing.

news.sky.com

Reading a few snippets of it last night and the police and security were told of the bombers suspicious activities by various members of the public, nothing was done and the result is that we are here now after an atrocity.

Same old spiel about learning lessons will be given.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

Reading a few snippets of it last night and the police and security were told of the bombers suspicious activities by various members of the public, nothing was done and the result is that we are here now after an atrocity.

Same old spiel about learning lessons will be given.

Ok, fine. They go up to him *bang* just other people dead instead. How about MI5 do their job properly and have him apprehended before it ever got to the point where he was a bomb in our city? That's the failure (again), everything else is just distraction.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

There was only One paramedic there, who arrived 18 minutes after the bomb went off and they were on their own for forty minutes.
I can’t take that in.

 

[mexico1970]

Ok, fine. They go up to him *bang* just other people dead instead. How about MI5 do their job properly and have him apprehended before it ever got to the point where he was a bomb in our city? That's the failure (again), everything else is just distraction.

I agree with all of that, but it didn't happen. It would be interesting to know why the local police and security didn't act on the concerns though. A bit like that scumbag wandering the streets of Birmingham with a knife stabbing people for 2 hours without being caught.

We're in a dark hole with law and order in the country, you can guarantee that if you or I would have nicked a curly wurly from Tescos the flashing blue lights would have been on us in a flash.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

There was only One paramedic there, who arrived 18 minutes after the bomb went off and they were on their own for forty minutes.
I can’t take that in.

There were half a dozen there within 30 minutes according to the enquiry. The first one just happened to be nearby in a rapid response vehicle and another senior paramedic lived close by so rushed down when he realised the scale of the problem. Their job was to make an assessment of the response required and get the right resources organised.

 

[Uncle Wally One Ball]

Manchester police didn't know the Ariana Grande concert was taking place on the night of the arena bombing as transport police were responsible for the venue, the inquiry has heard.

He told the hearing that Greater Manchester Police (GMP) "did not know on an organisational level about the Ariana Grande concert and had not made any provision or plan for the concert that night"

Manchester bombing: Police unaware Ariana Grande concert was taking place on night of attack, inquiry hears

The inquiry opened with the issues surrounding the emergency response to the arena bombing.

news.sky.com

There are always concerts there. How many concerts were held at the arena that year and the year before, anyone know?

 

[denislawsbackheel]

There were half a dozen there within 30 minutes according to the enquiry. The first one just happened to be nearby in a rapid response vehicle and another senior paramedic lived close by so rushed down when he realised the scale of the problem. Their job was to make an assessment of the response required and get the right resources organised.

Not according to the BBC report of today’s evidence.

Manchester Arena Inquiry: One paramedic at scene for 40 minutes after blast

The Manchester attack inquiry hears victims were taken from the venue on makeshift stretchers.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[mat]

Setting up the already heavily underfunded BTP for the blame.

 

[bert38]

I agree with all of that, but it didn't happen. It would be interesting to know why the local police and security didn't act on the concerns though. A bit like that scumbag wandering the streets of Birmingham with a knife stabbing people for 2 hours without being caught.

We're in a dark hole with law and order in the country, you can guarantee that if you or I would have nicked a curly wurly from Tescos the flashing blue lights would have been on us in a flash.

Do you care to wonder how many officers would have been on duty in Birmingham City Centre at that time? How many scenes did they have to preserve? How many other demands at exactly the same time-prob more than 75% of available staff already tied up with other immediate jobs, prisoners.

 

[kaz7]

Reading a few snippets of it last night and the police and security were told of the bombers suspicious activities by various members of the public, nothing was done and the result is that we are here now after an atrocity.

Same old spiel about learning lessons will be given.

Yeah they clearly never learn any lessons, it is a patronising statement they make ,there is a video on the news showing him struggling with his backpack as it was so heavy, they ask people to report suspicious things so they should have looked at him

 

[Nebuchadnezzar]

I confess that if I saw somebody with a huge backpack and they were visibly struggling, I would probably jokingly say "what the fuck have you got in there?", if anything at all....

 

[jimharri]

I find that claim about the police not knowing about the concert impossible to believe. A major city centre event, with 20k (?) attending. There would need to be police on traffic duty, surely. Never mind having units on standby in case of some emergency. Wouldn't the owners of the arena, and the concert promoter, liaise with the emergency services and the local council in the weeks leading up to such an event?

 

[bert38]

I find that claim about the police not knowing about the concert impossible to believe. A major city centre event, with 20k (?) attending. There would need to be police on traffic duty, surely. Never mind having units on standby in case of some emergency. Wouldn't the owners of the arena, and the concert promoter, liaise with the emergency services and the local council in the weeks leading up to such an event?

Arenas are responsbile for their own security and BTP were responsible.

Units on standby? Are people going to put their hands in their pockets to fund the extra tens of thousands of extra police to enable forces to have staff simply on 'standby' for every event?

 

[mexico1970]

Ok as you have all the answers, why haven't you volunteered as a Special Constable for your local force?

You may get some actual insight and knowledge then instead of spouting ignorant shite. Do you care to wonder how many officers would have been on duty in Birmingham City Centre at that time? How many scenes did they have to preserve? How many other demands at exactly the same time-prob more than 75% of available staff already tied up with other immediate jobs, prisoners. But of course you know better.

I was too busy in the army pal, the fact is that for whatever reason, the signals the general public gave were ignored.

FWIW I support the police and think they get too hard of a time.

 

[bert38]

I was too busy in the army pal, the fact is that for whatever reason, the signals the general public gave were ignored.

FWIW I support the police and think they get too hard of a time.

I just know that the general public assume there are all these cops waiting for something to do. The reality is those on response are run ragged with job after job, there simply aren't enough to go round. I feel great sympathy for the Inspector who wouldve been in charge in Birmingham and Manchester for that matter-the stress is overwhelming. Nobody on the frontline wants to a shit job but in the last 10 years or so I have seen colleagues leave in their droves because the job has been run into the ground. 25 years is plenty for me.

 

[mexico1970]

I just know that the general public assume there are all these cops waiting for something to do. The reality is those on response are run ragged with job after job, there simply aren't enough to go round. I feel great sympathy for the Inspector who wouldve been in charge in Birmingham and Manchester for that matter-the stress is overwhelming. Nobody on the frontline wants to a shit job but in the last 10 years or so I have seen colleagues leave in their droves because the job has been run into the ground. 25 years is plenty for me.

You're preaching to the converted pal, respect to you for doing a thankless job for that long.

However, I mentioned the police and security staff (Someone mentioned M15 in the thread too) either ignored or didn't take seriously the public's concerns, I'm not saying that that isn't an explanation for it but the top brass trying to claim that they didn't know about the event is disingenuous at best surely?

 

[bert38]

You're preaching to the converted pal, respect to you for doing a thankless job for that long.

However, I mentioned the police and security staff (Someone mentioned M15 in the thread too) either ignored or didn't take seriously the public's concerns, I'm not saying that that isn't an explanation for it but the top brass trying to claim that they didn't know about the event is disingenuous at best surely?

fair enough, I apologise for being on the defensive, but we are getting it from all angles right now! When something goes horribly wrong it always involves a whole series of mistakes that led to the end result-that's why these inquiries are important, so we do learn. I get the impression that GMP left BTP to police it-that decision wouldve been made weeks/months before. I cannot speak for the individuals involved who decided not to challenge him.

As for Birmingham I can assure you that first hour or so wouldve been chaos as the events unfolded.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Not according to the BBC report of today’s evidence.

Manchester Arena Inquiry: One paramedic at scene for 40 minutes after blast

The Manchester attack inquiry hears victims were taken from the venue on makeshift stretchers.

www.bbc.co.uk

According to the MEN "Six NWAS paramedics were there within the first 30 minutes, the inquiry was told.". I know there were two of them on the scene within 20 minutes as my daughter and her partner work with the two guys. One, Paddy, was on duty and the other was off duty but lived nearby so came in once he heard the reports. The police restricted the numbers of people on site initially.

Newspaper report

 

[GaudinoMotors]

hindsight and blame - we're good at that

 

[denislawsbackheel]

According to the MEN "Six NWAS paramedics were there within the first 30 minutes, the inquiry was told.". I know there were two of them on the scene within 20 minutes as my daughter and her partner work with the two guys. One, Paddy, was on duty and the other was off duty but lived nearby so came in once he heard the reports. The police restricted the numbers of people on site initially.

Newspaper report

You have linked to a newspaper report from May.
I stand by what I linked to as evidence presented today.