Organisers were concerned the breach raised the real possibility of a crowd crush at the event.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The band was due to perform a free gig at Federation Square on Friday night. (Supplied: John Angus Stewart)<\/p>\n
Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation chief executive Katrina Sedgwick said the decision to call off the concert was not taken lightly.<\/p>\n
“I’m really relieved we’re here today talking about the cancellation of a concert and not about people being hurt,” she said.<\/p>\n
“The important thing to do when you’re making a decision like this is not to wait until people are getting crushed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“As soon as you understand that their are people coming through gaps in the fence \u2014 which had literally been smashed through \u2014 that’s the time to act.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Public Figures were midway through their performance when the event was cancelled. (ABC News: Peter Healy)<\/p>\n
Fences breached during Public Figures set\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ms Sedgwick said hundreds of fans who were excluded when the venue hit capacity gathered outside security fences and some started pushing the structures down.<\/p>\n
The fences broke at several locations and hundreds of people streamed into the venue while warm-up act Public Figures were performing.<\/p>\n
“Sadly \u2026 a large group of people outside the perimeter of the square who, despite it being clearly closed, took it upon themselves to damage the fencing and force their way in,” Ms Sedgwick said.<\/p>\n
“A crowd crush is something that you never want to see happen and we certainly don’t want to see one in the town square of Melbourne.”Loading…<\/p>\n
Ms Sedgwick said the security fencing used was appropriate for the event and was used across Australia and internationally.<\/p>\n
It is more robust than the fencing that was used during screenings of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 when fans stormed the venue.<\/a><\/p>\n “This new fencing is directly in response to that \u2014 the fencing is embedded in the ground, it’s steel,” Ms Sedgwick said.<\/p>\n The performance by Amyl and the Sniffers was cancelled for safety and security reasons. (ABC News: Peter Healy)<\/p>\n “We did a lot of research to ensure that was the appropriate fencing.<\/p>\n “But in the end, it’s the sheer number of people taking it into their own hands to literally force their way into the square.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n