Beyonce fans who waited in line overnight for Mrs. Carter World Tour tickets got crushed in a stampede after latecomers stormed the box-office...
From the Manchester Evening News
Witnesses described how young girls were left in tears as groups of men barged into the queue, intimidating them and throwing bottles. One teenage girl said it was the scariest night of her life.
They were verbally abusive, trying to bribe people to buy extra tickets for them, and some were even openly taking drugs, according to fans who contacted the M.E.N.
Sarah Miah, 25, from Bury, queued for 17 hours and said that the problems began about 10.30pm when the touts pushed into the queue – with stampedes throughout the night as they fought to get near the box office.
Sarah said: “I stayed in the tunnel outside the Arena to avoid being crushed when all hell broke loose at about 5am. “Men were ripping open fire doors that were locked. Once opened, they fought to get through one side of a double door. Children were getting crushed and screaming. It was horrible. By far the worst night of my life.”
Dozens of fans also posted of their anger on Twitter. One wrote: “100s of Beyonce fans crushed and camped out. Turned away due to health and safety. Was no organisation. Appalling.”
But their excitement about the prospect of seeing their idol was replaced by fear when she says ticket touts descended en masse and barged their way into the queue.
Emily told how the men were smoking cannabis, swearing loudly and pushing genuine fans out of the way throughout the night, from about 10.30pm.
She was so scared that she called her mum, Debbie, in distress at 1am. Debbie was so horrified when she turned up that she called the police twice.
Emily said: “It was really horrible. It was intimidating and frightening – one of the scariest nights of my life.
