Arsene Wenger: Arsenal's compassion is with Manchester, to have dead people at concerts is absolutely unacceptable
The Arsenal manager compared how the Paris attacks last November and this week's suicide bombing in Manchester will have a similar effect on security measures in sport
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Your support makes all the difference.Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger joined the growing number of tributes to the victims of the Manchester Arena terror attack, and said that for people to be killed while enjoying themselves at a concert is “absolutely unacceptable”.
At least 22 people died when a suicide bomber targeted the Manchester Arena on Monday night towards the end of an Ariana Grande concert, with 59 more treated for injuries suffered in the blast, many of which have been described as “in a critical condition”.
An outpouring of support and tributes has come from the world of football, with clubs, managers and players using social media and press conferences to send their condolences to the friends and families of the victims.
Wenger joined those comments on Wednesday morning ahead of Arsenal’s FA Cup final against Chelsea on Saturday, and admitted that the attack put football into perspective.
“Of course, you want people to go and enjoy life and they come out, and you have dead people in concerts,” Wenger said. “It’s absolutely unacceptable and sad.
“I was in Paris in November for the attacks. It’s a huge shock and our compassion is with the city of Manchester.”
The 67-year-old was also asked if the attack had led to increased security at Arsenal, but he denied that any extra measures were being taken as the club believe their normal protocols are adequate to deal with any threat posed to the north London side. The Football Association has already confirmed that security will be strengthened for this weekend’s FA Cup final at Wembley, where extra officers and possibly members of the armed forces will be in attendance.
He went on to explain that once a match begins, the players and staff rarely think about such threats given they are wrapped up in the goings on in front of them, and he also used the example of how France dealt with last November’s Paris attacks as a way to recover from such a tragedy.
“No added security, the usual,” Wenger added. “We are in the middle of it. When you are involved in the competition you don’t really realise what is going on. We are isolated. You want the best level of security.
“I’m French. We live in emergency state there for a long time. It’s not visible what the police are doing usually.”
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