Four people in critical condition after crowd trouble at Asake concert in Brixton

Four people are in critical condition after crowd trouble at an Asake concert in Brixton, south London.

People at the O2 Academy were said to have been locked outside the venue in freezing temperatures, prompting some to try to force their way inside, according to the Daily Mirror.

The concert was eventually cancelled part-way through, with the newspaper reporting fans were told: “The reason we have to stop the show is because they have breached the doors.

“You’ve got 3,000 people have broken the doors outside and because of security the police have asked us to close the show.”

The message was met with booing before it continued: “This is nothing to do with us… There are people who’ve breached the door.

“They have broken in and security are trying to help with it.”

A statement from the Metropolitan Police said officers, the London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade were called to the scene at around 9.30pm on Thursday.

Eight people in total were taken to hospital – with four still in a critical condition due to injuries believed to have been caused by crushing. Others injured were treated at the scene.

One woman wrote on Twitter: “I was squashed, people stampeded in after hours of standing outside and having the doors closed. I could not breathe.”

Met Police gold commander Ade Adelekan said: “This is an extremely upsetting incident which has left four people critically ill in hospital. My thoughts and prayers are with them and their families.

“A police investigation has been launched, and it will be as thorough and as forensic as necessary to establish exactly what happened last night.

“The scene will be examined by specialist officers, CCTV will be viewed, every witness that we can make contact with will be spoken to and all other lines of enquiry will be followed.

“Officers are remaining in the area to provide reassurance to the local community in and around Brixton.”

Nigerian singer Asake, 27, released his debut album – Mr Money With The Vibe – this year.