TICKETLESS Oasis fans were spotted trying to storm barriers and jump fences at Heaton Park in an attempt to see the band perform.
The Britpop icons took to the stage in their hometown Manchester for the first time in 16 years on Friday night as an 80,000-strong crowd roared on.
TikTok / @barbarainukSome ticketless Oasis fans were seen armed with a ladder as they tried to sneak in to the band’s gig at Heaton Park on Friday[/caption]
Paul Jacobs/pictureexclusive.comOthers were seen rushing through metal barriers near the edge of the stage in an attempt to see the band without a ticket[/caption]
Pacific Coast NewsNoel Gallagher and Liam Gallagher took to the stage at Heaton Park to perform the first of five gigs in their hometown – the last time they performed there was in 2009[/caption]
However, there were countless fans who were unable to grab tickets for the sold-out event – with some opting to instead try to sneak into the concert.
On Friday, a number of fans – reportedly as many as 50 – were seen armed with a ladder as they tried to scale a fence into the gig.
One witness told Manchester Evening News they saw around 10 people make it in, although police later said that “no one made it through to the concert area”.
Then, last night, huge crowds were spotted trying to swarm through metal fencing to see the band’s second performance in the park.
Fans could be seen storming the fences at Heaton Park in droves as the Gallagher brothers took to the stage shortly after 8pm.
The ticketless group were filmed running over a fallen metal fence panel before disappearing behind a line of trees.
However, it is understood that none managed to make it through to the stage as they were later met with a second, much taller, line of wooden fencing.
Police could then be seen intervening to prevent any further fans making their way into the gig without a ticket.
It is understood that the tall fences and heavy security presence deterred those who were trying to chance their way inside.
The huge crowds of ticketless fans had gathered at the spot – dubbed “Gallagher Hill” – after learning it had a view to the massive screens behind the band.
Fans on the hill, nearby to the stage, could hear Oasis classics loud and clear throughout the night.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one fan said: “Henman Hill? Welcome to Gallagher Hill.”
Another added: “Amazing night on Gallagher Hill in Heaton Park for Oasis. Best atmosphere & lovely people!”
A dispersal order is currently in place at Heaton Park and the surrounding areas, giving constables and police community support officers the power to disperse crowds and prevent nuisance.
While Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said there was no immediate risk, it emphasised that safety is the “main priority”.
In a statement issued last night, police confirmed they had made 15 arrests over the first two days of Oasis’ gigs at Heaton Park.
Pacific Coast News80,000 fans gathered in Heaton Park on Friday night to enjoy classics from the Britpop legends[/caption]
GettyA number of ticketless fans were spotted trying to make their way into the park[/caption]
AFPOasis will perform at Heaton Park for three more nights next week before travelling to London[/caption]
Nine arrests were made on Saturday, adding to the six made on Friday night.
A GMP spokesperson said: “This evening, six people – five men and a woman in three separate incidents – were arrested on suspicion of fraud after attempting to access the venue with fake accreditation.
“A further arrest was made of a man on suspicion of assaulting a member of security staff.
“Two more men were arrested on suspicion of assault, one for section 18 inside the venue and one for section 47 outside.”
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Boyle said: “We have been planning for these events for several months, working with partners and the organisers to make sure everyone can enjoy the concerts safely. To that end, I’m pleased to say that the first two Oasis homecoming events have been a success.
“What has been especially pleasing is how more than 100,000 people have enjoyed these iconic events safely and without trouble.
“We will have a highly visible presence in and around Heaton Park, and across the city, to ensure the next three events continue to pass safely.”
Liam Gallagher booed by Oasis fans at first Manchester gig after dedicating song to ‘greatest of all time’
LIAM Gallagher was booed by fans at Oasis’ first Manchester gig last night after he dedicated a song to the “greatest of all time”.
The iconic band performed their first of five nights at Heaton Park yesterday, belting out tunes in their hometown for the first time in 16 years.
However, some fans were less than happy after the front man made a special dedication midway through the gig before a performance of D’You Know What I Mean.
Before getting into the track, Liam addressed the crowd, saying: “I’d like to dedicate this to the greatest manager of all time, Mr Pep Guardiola.”
The mention of Guardiola, who has served as manager of the brothers’ beloved football team Manchester City since 2016, sparked some boos from the crowd – likely from fans of rival team Manchester United.
Liam began to imitate praying towards the manager, bending down and lowering his back while his hands were raised.
As some of the crowd begins to boo, Noel responds by asking: “Who you f***ing booing, who you f***ing booing?”
Footage of the moment also shows a life-sized cut-out of the iconic manager with a Man City scarf around his neck on stage.
Thankfully, fans – even those supporting rival teams – enjoyed the moment and broke into laughter as Liam launched into an emphatic version of D’You Know What I Mean.
He added: “A number of people without tickets attempted to gain entry through a perimeter gate on Saturday night but failed to do so.
“We continue to support the event organisers and the local authority with their plans preventing any unauthorised access to the arena site.
“While arrests have thankfully been minimal, we have had to take some suspects to custody, including one after an alleged assault on a steward on Saturday night. We will not tolerate any abuse of anyone doing their job.
“On Friday night we also dealt with a number of breaches of airspace restrictions involving drones where our officers seized five drones and spoke to two other pilots.
“We continue to have airspace restrictions in place on the nights of the concerts and anyone found breaching the one-and-a-half-mile restriction zone could face prosecution.”
Three further gigs are set to take place next week – on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday – before Oasis travel to London to perform for five nights at Wembley Stadium.
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