O2 Academy Brixton’s license suspended following ‘crowd crush’ incident

Lambeth Council has suspended O2 Academy Brixton’s following the deaths of two people after a crush at an Asake concert earlier this month.

On Tuesday (20th December), the Metropolitan Police applied for a “Summary Licence Review.” Having the venue’s license, Lambeth Council’s Licensing sub-committee has decided to close the venue.

According to Music Week, the temporary closure will remain in place until at least 16th January 2023, meaning a number of upcoming events, including New Year’s Eve shows, have been cancelled.

The temporary closure follows the tragic death of 23-year-old Gaby Hutchinson, a security guard at the venue, who passed away in hospital from injuries sustained during the crush at Afrobeats musician Asake’s gig earlier in December – which was called off during his performance.

33-year-old mother of two Rebecca Ikumeloalso sadly lost her life during the incident. A third person remains in a critical condition in hospital.

Lambeth Council’s Licensing sub-committee’s report tells how “the build-up to the incident had lasted about an hour.” It also highlights how police arrived to find that security “were unable to control the crowds at the entrance doors, some of whom were trying to force entry to the concert.”

There is also a separate criminal investigation underway by the Met Police. For anyone with any information or evidence, an online page has been set up for anyone to submit their statement to the Metropolitan Police here.