Hundreds of people broke through a temporary crowd control barrier causing various injuries to fans during the annual Christmas Lights Switch-On event,[1] while the band JLS were performing.
[2][3][4][5][6] The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport Ben Bradshaw and the city council's Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport & Culture, Martin Mullaney blamed the tragedy on bad weather and a failure of the fencing for the incident.
However, local MP for Perry Barr, Khalid Mahmood pointed toward the Birmingham City Council's lack of preparedness.
[2][11] An independent report by a health and safety consultant placed the final blame on Birmingham City Council's choice of fencing.
[12] Because a free pop music concert and fireworks show was planned, sections of Millennium Point were fenced off.