The Metropolitan Police have vowed to do everything possible to prevent next May’s Arctic Monkeys concerts in Finsbury Park being blighted by crime.
The two concerts, for which tickets went on sale last Friday, will be the first of this size at the venue since the Stone Roses played in June. Those gigs led to an increase in reported crime in the park, as the events were targeted by pickpockets for mobile phones and other personal items.
Inspector Richard Padwell, from Finsbury Park’s Safer Neighbourhood Team, confirmed that the Arctic Monkeys events will be high priority as a result: “I am very aware of the forthcoming concerts and there can be an impact on crime in the ward.
“In addition to the policing specifically arranged for the concerts, I will be requesting that policing from across Islington is prioritised to the area.
“I will be meeting my opposite numbers from Haringey, Hackney and British Transport Police in the next few weeks and this will definitely be on the agenda.”
Sergeant Andy Underwood, part of the Haringey Borough Command Unit responsible for policing the event, promised that all efforts will be made to prevent a repeat of the crime spike:
“We will be working very closely with the promoters and the local authorities concerned in order to improve on last year’s events”.
