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The O2 Academy Brixton has had its licence temporarily suspended after two people died in a crowd crush at the venue.
Security guard Gaby Hutchinson, 23, and Rebecca Ikumelo, 33 were badly hurt when fans without tickets tried to get into a show by Nigerian artist Asake at the south London venue on December 15. A 21-year-old woman remains seriously ill in hospital.
Today, Lambeth Council’s licensing sub-committee decided to force the site to close until a further meeting on January 16 next year. The O2 Academy Brixton offered a voluntary closure until that date.
The meeting was called following an application by the Metropolitan Police, who said the licence should be suspended immediately to ‘protect the public’. During the council meeting, the Met said there had been a similar crush on February 4, 2020 during a concert by Naira Marley, another Afrobeats singer.
Rebecca Ikumelo (pictured), 33, from Newham, east London, died in hospital after being critically injured in the crush which unfolded during Nigerian artist Asake’s concert on Thursday
Gaby Hutchinson, 23, also died in hospital after being injured during a crushÂ
Announcing the sub-committee’s decision, Cllr Fred Cowell said: ‘The sub-committee accepts the licence-holder’s offer to voluntarily close has been made in good faith.
‘They have already cancelled a New Year’s Eve event and will cancel other events between now and January 16, 2023.
‘However, counsel for the licence-holder… accepted that a voluntary undertaking by his client is not enforceable in law were it to be breached.
‘The sub-committee’s focus today is on measures necessary to prevent serious crime or serious disorder or both at the venue.
‘The sub-committee is aware that investigations are at an early stage and the facts that led up to the fatal incident are not entirely clear.
‘However, in the view of the licensing sub-committee, given the severity of events of December 15 2022, the risks to public safety as a consequence of, in particular, serious disorder rising from a lack of crowd control at the front doors of the venue remain high if the venue were able to operate as before.’
In their application to have the licence suspended, police said it was apparent ‘security staff had completely lost control of the situation with regards to crowd control’.
Video footage shows a large crowd gathered outside the Brixton O2 Academy on Thursday
The application read: ‘Many people were crushed by the sheer force of the crowd and many were injured, some seriously.
‘As a result of the extremely serious nature of the incident, and the loss of life, a large and complex investigation has begun.
‘We are asking for an interim step of immediate suspension of the licence while police conduct the initial stages of the investigations, in order to establish what failings have taken place and to identify what needs to be done to prevent a recurrence.’
Cllr Cowell said the decision should not be taken as an indication as to what the sub-committee will conclude at the next meeting in January. Â
It comes as the family of Gaby Hutchinson paid tribute to their ‘selfless’ relative.Â
The 23-year-old, from Gravesend in Kent, died in hospital on Monday from injuries sustained in the incident.
In a tribute reported by BBC Newsbeat, family members said Gaby ‘protected those they loved fiercely and it was the same with Gaby’s job’.
Nigerian star Asake’s (pictured) concert descended into chaos after fans were filmed clashing with police outside Brixton’s O2 Academy
‘When Gaby loved you, it was with their whole heart,’ relatives said.
‘Gaby has brought so much love, laughter and inappropriate jokes into our lives and will forever be our baby, our daughter, our sister, our man and our joy.
‘Getting 23 years of Gaby’s life was a blessing and one we will never forget. Gaby will forever live on in our hearts.
‘No-one should go to work and not come home. But Gaby protected those they loved fiercely and it was the same with Gaby’s job.’
Chief Superintendent Colin Wingrove from the Metropolitan Police said: ‘It is devastating news that a second person has lost their life following the events on Thursday.
‘I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to Gaby’s family at this unimaginably difficult time.’
The force said the three people critically injured in the crush were all in the foyer of the building.
The venue said its ‘heartfelt condolences’ were with Mr Hutchinson’s family and friends.
‘We continue to be devastated by this tragic situation and are fully supporting the ongoing investigation.’
Gaby Hutchinson was one of three people badly hurt in the crush and the second person to die.
The scene outside the Brixton O2 Academy in south London on Friday morning
Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, from Newham, east London, died in hospital on Saturday and a 21-year-old woman remains seriously ill in hospital.
Ms Ikumelo’s family paid tribute to the ‘adorable mother-of-two’ who was a nursing graduate.
The incident has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) under standard practice following incidents where police had been in attendance and members of the public had been seriously injured.
The Met said the three people critically injured in the crush were all in the foyer of the building.
Asake, whose real name is Ahmed Ololade, was recently nominated for BBC Radio 1’s Sound of 2023 award, for artists breaking through in the UK.
Ahead of the gig, he urged fans not to go to the venue without a valid ticket.
The concert was the third of three sold-out dates at the 4,921-standing capacity venue and concluded a run of UK dates.   Â
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