A massive security breach occurred during an Australian Football League match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground when two men allegedly carried guns into the venue on Thursday night.
The two men managed to enter the grounds with weapons for the match between Carlton and Collingwood with more than 82,000 people in attendance before authorities found the firearms in their pants, news.com.au reported.
The two men were identified as Omar Salam, 21, and Mohamad Noori, 27, according to ABC News in Australia.
The pair had reportedly become an issue and refused to leave during the second half of the game, which led to police being called by stadium security and triggered the discovery of the guns.
During the search of the two men, two firearms were found and one was loaded.
No injuries were reported, but an increased police presence was visible following the match.
The two men have been charged with firearms offenses that include one facing possession of a loaded firearm.
Salam already appeared in court on Friday and has been remanded to custody until April 16, while Noori is expected to appear in court on Friday as well, ABC News reported.
It’s unclear why the two men had weapons on them during the match, but Victoria Police have said the incident was not being looked at as an act of terrorism.
The major security breach has drawn swift reactions, with Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) chief executive Stuart Fox calling the incident “extremely disappointing and upsetting” while calling for investments into “new technologies to assist us in keeping the community safe,” in a statement to media outlets.
“Our security screening units identified items of concern and further investigation was required, our initial internal investigation identified a breakdown in the thoroughness of the secondary and manual screening process,” Fox continued in the statement. “As a result, we will be increasing the extensiveness of the secondary manual security process and patrons may experience slight delays as they attend upcoming events.”
“We will continue to work closely with Victoria Police, the AFL and our security provider in executing the MCG’s security procedures.”
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan told ABC News Australia that she called for a review of the venue’s security and that the incident was one of “concern” to her.
“It is my expectation that a thorough review of both what occurred here, what has gone on, an explanation to the Victorian community and then looking at what further measures need to be taken,” Allan said.
Melbourne Cricket Ground underwent security upgrades prior to the 2024 season that included the installation of AI-powered scanners.
The upgrades were meant to streamline the screening process for fans entering the venue.
