Police were high-fived by grateful music fans as they left the first major event held in Manchester since a suicide bomber targeted a pop concert in the city.
Armed officers watched for potential threats as the crowds poured out of Lancashire County Cricket Club’s Old Trafford ground.
Inside, thousands of music lovers had cheered and applauded as the headline act opened with a poem hailing the spirit of the city in the wake of Salman Abedi’s attack at Manchester Arena on Monday night.
Courteeners frontman Liam Fray, reciting the piece written by Mancunian Ryan Williams in the aftermath of the atrocity, assured the crowd the city would “rekindle our swagger”.
The poem, which has been shared thousands of times online, references the worker bee, a symbol of the city’s hardworking past, during the Industrial Revolution.
TOGETHERNESS. x pic.twitter.com/3AvAqOPzED
— Liam Fray (@What_Liam_Said) May 27, 2017
The band later sang a cover of Oasis’ Don’t Look Back In Anger, which has become something of an anthem in the city since the bomb.As the crowds departed, police, some of whom were on horseback, were thanked and high-fived by members of the public.Police were also on hand as American singer-songwriter Anastacia performed at the O2 Apollo Manchester in the Ardwick Green district of the city centre on Saturday night.
Thank you Anastacia @AnastaciaMusic for her support to victims of Manchester Attack. We are policing her concert now @O2ApolloManc @ILoveMCR pic.twitter.com/w12mIQITqL
— GMP Longsight (@GMPLongsight) May 27, 2017
An image posted by Greater Manchester Police’s Longsight station showed the star with three officers holding a “We love Manchester” sign.
Your are true heros????and pretty strong to hold my curvy lady lumps ???? https://t.co/YxJ90n1Jz8
— Anastacia (@AnastaciaMusic) May 28, 2017
She urged fans to donate to the victims’ fund and later tweeted:
Manchester this show will be in my heart forever. Thank U4 showing so much strength & love tonight. Bless you????
— Anastacia (@AnastaciaMusic) May 27, 2017
