A 19-year-old man has been charged with false communications relating to a bomb hoax after comedian Peter Kay was forced off stage mid-performance and the Utilita Arena in Birmingham was evacuated on Friday night.
Details of the Incident
Omar Majed, of Washwood Heath, Birmingham, was remanded in custody and will appear before magistrates in Birmingham on May 4, West Midlands Police confirmed. Kay’s show was halted after a “suspicious bag” was reported, but police later stated that “nothing suspicious was found” during searches.
In an update on Saturday evening, the force said: “An evacuation of the arena was ordered yesterday evening after a report of a suspicious bag being left in the area. Following searches, nothing suspicious was found and we are grateful to everyone for their co-operation and understanding. As always our priority is the safety of the public.”
Witness Accounts
Witnesses reported that two staff members approached the stage approximately 45 minutes into the performance, whispered to Kay, and then escorted him off. Steve Aspinall, who attended the gig with his wife, told the Press Association: “Two guys came on, one with a mic and headphones, one guy whispered to Peter Kay and then he and Peter Kay shot off down the side.”
Aspinall, from Bideford, Devon, added that the audience was instructed to look for security guards and listen for announcements. “To be honest, I thought it was part of the show at first. It was a strange atmosphere, eerie, just confused really about what was happening. But it was alright and everyone was calm and left quite quickly with no panic.”
Arena Response and Security Measures
In a statement on X, Utilita Arena Birmingham confirmed that the Peter Kay event scheduled for Saturday evening would proceed as planned, adding: “West Midlands Police are satisfied with the security measures in place.” The statement continued: “We would like to thank the attendees of yesterday’s Peter Kay event for their cooperation, which ensured a swift and safe evacuation. Ticket holders for yesterday’s Peter Kay performance will be contacted with the next steps from their original point of purchase.”
The arena emphasized its commitment to safety: “At Utilita Arena Birmingham, the safety and security of our customers and colleagues is always our first priority. Our security measures include several overt and covert security measures, so whilst you may not see all operational security activity, you should be assured that it is ongoing. Our Evolv security system uses advanced sensors and AI technology to screen everyone and their bags as they enter the arena, helping security teams identify potential threats quickly and accurately, supported by additional bag searches as required.”
