Manchester
Another Bataclan?
Police are responding to a “serious incident” in Manchester amid reports of an “explosion” following a pop concert.
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.
Greater Manchester Police tweeted to urge people to stay away from the area.
I know where that station is. I got off one of the circulating buses there. I have friends in Manchester.
We have friends there, too. In fact, we’ll be there in about a month.
About a dozen years ago, in my only visit to the city, I was in Manchester for an event at the university (the part that was still called the Manchester Institute of Science and Technology) and begged for a meeting with a hero of mine, Norman Geras. I stayed at a hotel in an old, refurbished building in Salford, and walked roundabout to Manchester University via Trinity Way, sightseeing some notable places, including Victoria Station. And Manchester Arena. I believe Kylie Minogue was booked there at the time. (I see that our hometown girl, Céline Dion, is booked there next month. I wonder if that will be affected.)
Very sad.
The latest news is that at least 19 are dead and about 50 injured in what is being treated as a terrorist bomb.
This is taking a long time to sink in.
The explosion was at the end of the concert and security is reasonably tight at those gigs so my guess is that the bomber(s) waited until the doors were opened for people to leave and then strolled right in.
Horrible. Presumably a lot of the people there were kids.