Terror alert ‘triggered by me filming a music video’
A MUSICIAN has claimed he was at the centre of a terror alert which shut down part of Manchester city centre.
In a statement posted on Instagram, the musician, who uses the stage name Outlaw, said he was filming a music video when he was stopped by police.
The post includes a statement from ‘a solicitor’ about the incident, as well as images taken as the drama unfolded on Wednesday last week.
The terror alert closed down a huge part of the city centre during rush hour.
The high-profile operation began when two men were reported to have been acting suspiciously on Chapel Street, Salford.
Police patrols then boxed in a black Range Rover on nearby Deansgate.
The two suspects - aged 57 and 22 - were released without charge the next day. Outlaw claims officers drove him and a colleague home at 3am.
Outlaw, who has not revealed his full name, said: “I was filming a music video for my album at the time.
“We didn’t get a chance to explain what we were doing.
“We’ve been out filming music videos before and have been stopped but this time we didn’t get chance.”
Outlaw said he wanted to clear up what happened for the sake of the public, not to ‘make a fool of the police’. A GMP spokesperson said: “We have previously released a comprehensive statement in relation to this incident, we are now considering the evidence gathered and whether a prosecution will now take place for non-terrorism related offences.”
Following the incident, GMP said the men were released without charge.
“Following a thorough investigation of the circumstances, police are satisfied that the incident was not terrorism-related.”
Items included a replica police uniform and replica police baton and utility belt, said police. Further items were found that required assessment by bomb disposal officers, the statement added.
Following assessment, it was confirmed that the items represented no danger to the public.
Police said the men were ‘initially uncooperative at the scene and failed to provide a reasonable explanation for their behaviour’.