More than 50,000 support saving 'iconic' venue after crowd crush tragedy closure

More than 50,000 radical enactment redeeming an "iconic" euphony venue successful London, which was forced to adjacent due to the fact that of information concerns aft 2 radical died successful a assemblage crush.

A petition calling for the O2 Brixton Academy to reopen has surpassed 50,000 signatures.

Two radical - Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, and Gaby Hutchinson, 23 - died successful infirmary from their injuries aft the crush extracurricular the venue during a gig by Afrobeat creator Asake connected 15 December 2022.

Ten radical were treated astatine the country by the London Ambulance Service connected the nighttime of the overcrowding. Eight of them were taken to infirmary for further care.

Lambeth Council ordered the venue to shut successful December by suspending its licence. The Metropolitan Police had asked the assembly to enactment and present supports closing Brixton Academy for good.

On 16 January, the academy's licence was suspended for 3 months by Lambeth councillors and a determination connected whether to reopen the tract is expected to beryllium decided astatine an upcoming licensing meeting.

The organiser of the petition "Save Brixton Academy", posted connected Change.org, believes the venue tin reopen without putting radical astatine risk.

Academy Music Group (AMG), the steadfast which runs the venue, besides reason its proposals would "enable the venue to reopen safely".

'What happened determination was a tragedy, but caused by people'

The petition, created by Stuart O'Brien, said the venue's closure would person a "devastating" effect connected the section economy.

"Brixton Academy is an iconic London euphony venue and should this cease to beryllium so, different portion of the philharmonic scenery and past is mislaid forever," the petition organiser said.

He added: "What happened determination was a tragedy, but caused by people.

"Revoke the information firm's licence and bring successful idiosyncratic capable recommended by the police… Bring successful caller information procedures including assemblage power to guarantee a repetition doesn't happen.

"But let's not crook this venue into soulless flats arsenic would much than apt hap successful the lawsuit of imperishable closure."

Mr O'Brien continued: "I personally person been to hundreds of gigs successful my lifetime, galore of them present and I person ne'er erstwhile felt similar information was an issue!

"So please, let's assistance support euphony unrecorded and Save Brixton Academy!"

Members of well-known bands, specified arsenic Blur and The Chemical Brothers, person supported the petition.

There is besides beardown enactment for the petition connected societal media.

"Brixton Academy is 1 of the astir storied euphony venues successful London, countless legends person graced that signifier on with immoderate of our champion and brightest acts today. Shutting it down would beryllium conscionable the latest constitution onslaught connected the arts successful the UK," writer Roisin O'Connor said connected Twitter.

Metropolitan Police supports afloat Brixton Academy closure

Momentum to enactment the petition gathered gait successful April, erstwhile it was revealed that the Metropolitan Police supports a afloat closure of the venue.

The unit has seemingly mislaid assurance successful its operators to tally events safely.

The Met said successful a statement: "On 14 April, the Met constabulary submitted an exertion for a reappraisal of [the] premises licence to Lambeth Council and volition beryllium seeking a revocation of the licence.

"This substance volition beryllium decided astatine a aboriginal assembly sub-committee proceeding connected a day to beryllium confirmed."