First Oasis gig at Heaton Park ends safely despite arrests and drone breaches

Saturday, 12 July 2025 00:16

By David Murphy

Greater Manchester Police confirm no serious incidents at first of five concerts

The first of five highly anticipated Oasis reunion concerts at Heaton Park passed without serious incident on Thursday evening, Greater Manchester Police have confirmed.

Despite a number of arrests and breaches of airspace restrictions, officers praised the crowd’s overall behaviour and reassured concert-goers that public safety remains a top priority throughout the series of shows.

Six men, aged between 20 and 55, were arrested on the opening night. Four were detained for being drunk and disorderly, one was arrested on suspicion of fraud, and another was held on suspicion of possession with intent to supply cannabis. All remain in custody.

In addition, specialist drone officers seized five drones after identifying unauthorised flights within the restricted airspace around Heaton Park. The zone, which is in effect daily from 11am to 11.59pm during the concerts, spans one and a half nautical miles and is being strictly enforced.

Seven drone operators were identified, with two issued verbal warnings and five having their equipment confiscated. Police warned that further breaches could result in prosecution.

Assistant Chief Constable Matt Boyle said: “We are really pleased to say that fans attending the concert tonight have been able to do so safely and without incident.”

He added that a high visibility policing operation had been in place across Manchester to support the event, with a dispersal order covering Heaton Park running until 2am Friday to tackle any antisocial behaviour.

Concert-goers are being encouraged to plan ahead for travel and stay informed via updates from police and transport partners. Officers also urged fans to stay hydrated, look out for each other and report any suspicious behaviour to security or police on site.

The GMP operation at Heaton Park is being run alongside regular policing duties to ensure the wider region remains protected.

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