Brixton Academy security guards took bribes – report
The BBC reports that some security guards at Brixton Academy took bribes regularly to let people in without tickets, according to a whistleblower.
Two women died in a crowd crush outside the venue in December – one of the women was a security guard, but there was no suggestion she was involved in taking bribes.
A security guard told File on Four that some members of his team would each allow “a couple of hundred” extra people into venues in exchange for money. Their employer, AP Security, has declined to comment.
“There were people taking money… Some staff made £1,000 cash,” said guard Rohan, not his real name.
“Our company knew what was going on and they knew the people who were doing it,” he told the BBC, “and they did nothing about it.”
Rohan told the BBC there was not enough security on the night of the crush – only 110 members of the team when there should have been 190.
“It was like being in a car crash that’s been really awful – being crashed on and stamped on.”
Brixton crowd crush
Security guard Gaby Hutchinson, 23 and attendee Rebecca Ikumelo, 33 both died in the crush.
Roham reflected on how some guards let people in without tickets.
“When you let a few people in, they would text their friends, and they’ll text their friends.
“And the bouncers started being greedy, and it got out of hand. And people wanted to come in anyway, without a ticket.
“You can train someone to the max, but when that happens in front of you, you actually stop… you freeze.”
Rohan claims that if someone wanted to get into a gig, they would speak to security at the barriers.
“They [some AP Security staff] will tell you a few things, [then you] go round the corner… give them a lot of cash and they will walk you straight in the front door.”
