Manchester Arena duty manager felt ‘scapegoated’ by US bosses

THE concert duty manager on the night of the Manchester Arena bombing has said she felt “scapegoated” by her American bosses in the aftermath of the attack.

Miriam Stone, the arena’s head of events, told the public inquiry into the May 2017 atrocity that she felt bosses were more concerned about commercial damage than the personal tragedy.

Ms Stone, employed by venue and event management company SMG – based in Los Angeles and now known as ASM Global – was in charge at the arena for the Ariana Grande concert which suicide bomber Salman Abedi targeted as fans departed into the City Room foyer.

Yesterday, John Cooper QC, representing some of the 22 bereaved families, asked Ms Stone: “Was there a time when you told someone that you felt scapegoated by SMG?”

Ms Stone said: “Yes, because immediately after the attack, within a day or two, we had a meeting with

American management and I felt like they were looking for somewhere to put blame.

“I got a feeling through tone, through some of the things, some fingerpointing... they are American so they have a different view of these things, I think.

“It felt very defensive as if it would be easy to say ‘right, if we just put all the blame on that person and send them away, we can say that it was not our fault, it was their fault and they are not here anymore and so now it’s all resolved’.

“That’s how it felt to me at the time.” Mr Cooper said: “Effectively they were more concerned about the commercial impact on their business, that was their priority was it?”

Ms Stone said: “I’m sorry but that’s how it felt, yes.”

Mr Cooper went on: “SMG were more concerned about their commercial damage than in fact the tragedy that had occurred. Would you accept?”

Ms Stone, who still works at the arena, replied: “Not SMG in total, no. I don’t think that was the case from a UK point of view. I think it was very much the case from the American perspective.”

Mr Cooper said: “Are you saying that from the American perspective of SMG the impression you got from them was that they were more concerned about commercial loss than the personal tragedy?”

The witness replied: “That’s how I felt.”

Andrew O’connor QC, for SMG, asked her: “Does that feeling continue?”

Ms Stone replied: “It is not there now. It did for a short time but it’s not there now.”

The arena stepped up security measures for American performers two years before the bomb attack, but dropped them soon afterwards, the inquiry heard earlier.

In the wake of the shooting at the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine in January 2015, the arena management realised US performers might represent a bigger target.

Ms Stone approached police counterterrorism advisers five days later, saying: “I am sure you have probably been inundated with requests for advice but I am going to ask you anyway.”

In the email she told the advisers at Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and British Transport Police (BTP): “For the upcoming larger shows, particularly American artists, we have increased the access control staff on each door.”

Paul Greaney QC for the inquiry asked: “Did you think there was a particular antipathy, to understate it, towards America and American artists by Islamist extremists and therefore American artists might be targeted in particular?”

“I read the papers, yes,” Ms Stone said.

However the new measures only lasted for a “couple of months” before they went back to normal, the inquiry heard.

The public inquiry, which is taking place at Manchester Magistrates’ Court, is expected to last into next spring.

We had a meeting and I felt like they were looking for somewhere to put blame