U2 Concert Evacuated Following Apparent Firearms Security Breach

Veteran Irish rockers U2 have had to reschedule a planned concert in Stockholm, Sweden, after their Sunday-night audience was evacuated from the city's Globe Arena in the wake of an apparent security breach.

The band have addressed the evacuation in a statement, saying that because "the breach has not been resolved quickly, and as audience safety is paramount, the police have advised … that they have no option but to postpone tonight's show, to a rescheduled date of Tuesday 22nd September".

According to Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, which described the scene as "chaos", punters were officially told that there were difficulties with the event's ticket system; however, the paper cites anonymous sources who claim the disruption was caused after security let a man armed with a gun inside the venue, having told them that he was a police officer and had "forgot to leave the gun at work" before being waved on through, resulting in the mass evacuation.

Although, as Sky News reports, the exact nature of the breach has not been explictly confirmed, the sources' version of events have now received at least a modicum of credibility from the police, with communications officer Towe Hagg telling the paper, "We have opened an investigation regarding a firearms violation based on the information we have received from the organiser."

According to Sky, "audience members already inside the building said security guards were searching the floor around the stage". After the evacuation, crowds of people "were seen waiting for information" until the event was finally cancelled about 10.15pm.

Police have not released information regarding potential suspects or whether there was any veracity to the man's claims of being an officer.