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Manchester United Match Canceled After Imitation Bomb Is Found English Soccer Match Canceled After Imitation Bomb Is Found
(about 4 hours later)
LONDON — The final match of the Premier League season for Manchester United and Bournemouth was abandoned Sunday afternoon after a suspicious package was found at the stadium, United announced on its website. LONDON — The final match of the Premier League season for Manchester United and Bournemouth was abandoned Sunday afternoon after a security blunder forced the dramatic evacuation of tens of thousands of fans from the stadium.
The package was later determined to have been an imitation bomb left behind during an earlier security exercise, the Greater Manchester Police reported Sunday night, according to The Associated Press. The authorities were initially praised for ushering 50,000 spectators out of Manchester’s Old Trafford stadium after a suspicious object was found in the stands. Sniffer dogs were dispatched, and bomb disposal experts carried out a controlled detonation of what was then described as an “incredibly lifelike explosive device.”
The police had earlier said in a Twitter post that bomb disposal experts carried out a controlled explosion on “what is described as incredibly lifelike explosive device.” It turned out not to be “viable” after a full assessment. But to officials’ embarrassment, the suspicious item — a cellphone connected to a gas pipe — turned out to be a training device that the police later announced had “accidentally been left by a private company following a training exercise involving search dogs.”
Two sections of the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester — the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand and the Stretford End — were evacuated about 20 minutes before the scheduled kickoff, the BBC reported. Sniffer dogs were seen searching the stands. “Whilst this item did not turn out to be a viable explosive, on appearance this device was as real as could be, and the decision to evacuate the stadium was the right thing to do, until we could be sure that people were not at risk,” said John O’Hare, an assistant chief constable with the Greater Manchester Police.
A short time later, fans in the remaining two stands were also evacuated. The bomb scare caused particular fear because Britain had just days before raised the terrorist threat level linked to Northern Ireland to “substantial” from “moderate,” warning that an attack was a strong possibility.
“People in the stadium are advised to remain in their seats while the forecourt is cleared of fans evacuated from the stadium. Further announcements will be made as soon as possible,” the club said.
Ian Hopkins, chief constable of the Greater Manchester police, wrote on Twitter: “Greater Manchester Police working with Man Utd to make sure everyone is safely evacuated.”
The bomb scare came just days after Britain raised the terrorist threat level linked to Northern Ireland to “substantial” from “moderate,” warning that an attack was a strong possibility.
Theresa May, Britain’s home secretary, said that decision reflected “the continuing threat from dissident republican activity.”Theresa May, Britain’s home secretary, said that decision reflected “the continuing threat from dissident republican activity.”
In March, a group calling itself the New Irish Republican Army claimed responsibility for a bomb attack on a van driven by a prison officer. The group, which opposes the Northern Ireland peace process, said it was “ready and determined to take the war to the age old enemy of our nation.” In March, a group calling itself the New Irish Republican Army claimed responsibility for a bomb attack on a van driven by a prison officer. The group, which opposes the Northern Ireland peace process, said it was “ready and determined to take the war to the age-old enemy of our nation.”
After the terrorist attacks in Paris in November, an exhibition game between Germany and the Netherlands was called off and fans were evacuated after a suspicious object was found inside the stadium in Hanover, Germany. Officials described an “intention to ignite explosives.” There has been a heightened awareness of security surrounding sporting events in Europe, with the European soccer championships set to begin in France next month.
In 2004, spectators at Real Madrid’s Bernabéu stadium were evacuated after the Basque newspaper Gara reportedly received a phone call saying a bomb was set to explode there. More than 70,000 people were evacuated shortly before the end of the match, between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad, but no explosive device was found. French officials have said repeatedly that the championships, the Continent’s marquee soccer tournament, will be secure. But scrutiny of the plans has intensified since terrorists targeted the Stade de France, outside Paris, as part of a wave of attacks in Paris in November.
The championship, which will run from June 10 to July 10, will be held in 10 cities across France.
Organizers have revamped plans for security and estimated that 10,000 people would be hired to staff the operation, which will cover the stadiums as well as city centers and organized fan zones: areas for people to congregate and watch matches on video screens.
Each host city has gone through simulations of a variety of situations, including terrorist attacks. After the attacks in Paris, and this year in Brussels, the security budget for the fan zones was doubled to about $27 million.
While postponements of high-profile matches for security reasons are rare, Sunday’s decision was hardly unprecedented.
After the terrorist attacks in Paris, an exhibition game between Germany and the Netherlands was called off and fans were evacuated after a suspicious object was found inside the stadium in Hanover, Germany. Officials described an “intention to ignite explosives.”
In 2004, the Basque newspaper Gara reportedly received a phone call saying a bomb was set to explode at Real Madrid’s Bernabéu stadium. More than 70,000 people were evacuated shortly before the end of a match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad, but no explosive device was found.
The number of significant sporting events taking place in cities across Europe on a daily basis can make tighter security measures everywhere impractical. For regular league matches, local police officers work with the clubs to handle security.
When a possible large-scale emergency occurs, as it did Sunday, protocol typically involves calling in national or military officers for assistance, which was what the Manchester police did.
The Premier League rescheduled the match between Manchester United and Bournemouth for Tuesday.