Newsdeck

Newsdeck

Ariana Grande to resume tour in Paris amid tight security

US singer Ariana Grande is to resume her world tour in Paris on Wednesday, more than two weeks after it was interrupted by the Manchester suicide bomb attack.

Security will be extra tight in the French capital, a day after police shot and injured a man who attacked an officer outside the world-famous Notre Dame cathedral 

Roads will be blocked off around the concert venue in the east of Paris while police will help security guards to check fans as they arrive for the show.

Even before Tuesday’s Notre Dame attack, police had announced a significant deployment planned for the US singer’s concert, noting its “powerful symbolic context”.

On May 22 a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing 22 people including 7 children at a concert by Grande in Manchester.

She cancelled shows she was due to give in London, Belgium, Germany, Poland and Switzerland, and returned to Florida, before returning to Manchester on Sunday to headline an all-star benefit show for victims of the attack.

Before the Paris show, her young fans said they would not give in to fear. 

“I feel really anxious but I don’t want that to stop me from going. I will probably feel on edge, I hope security is tight — if there is something planned, there is not much we can do,” said Caoimhe McDonnell, a 19-year-old student from Northern Ireland living in Paris.

Clodagh Ennis, also 19, added: “I feel that not going to the concert would be letting terrorists win, that’s what they want, they want people to be scared, so still attending despite the attacks is like a protest against them. 

“Personally, I am not naturally a worried person. Of course there will be the thought of ‘What if something happens?’ but I know there are probably people a lot more worried than I am.

“I do wonder what the concert will be like, will it go as normal, will it be sad, but I think the best thing to do is go and show our support for her, and try to enjoy it as much as we can.” DM

Gallery

Please peer review 3 community comments before your comment can be posted

We would like our readers to start paying for Daily Maverick...

…but we are not going to force you to. Over 10 million users come to us each month for the news. We have not put it behind a paywall because the truth should not be a luxury.

Instead we ask our readers who can afford to contribute, even a small amount each month, to do so.

If you appreciate it and want to see us keep going then please consider contributing whatever you can.

Support Daily Maverick→
Payment options

Become a Maverick Insider

This could have been a paywall

On another site this would have been a paywall. Maverick Insider keeps our content free for all.

Become an Insider

Every seed of hope will one day sprout.

South African citizens throughout the country are standing up for our human rights. Stay informed, connected and inspired by our weekly FREE Maverick Citizen newsletter.