- Two men have been arrested following Collingwood’s victory against Carlton
- Police say that the men had allegedly ‘carried loaded firearms’ into the MCG
- It comes after the iconic venue had upgraded its security systems in 2024
Two individuals were arrested inside the MCG following Thursday night’s clash between Collingwood and Carlton after reports claimed they were alleged to have been ‘carrying multiple loaded firearms’.
According to The Herald Sun, the two men were alleged to have circumvented the MCG’s security measures and had allegedly concealed the weapons by ‘hiding them in their trousers’.
Following the match, Victoria police issued a statement, confirming that a 21-year-old man from Roxburgh Park and a 37-year-old man from Broadmeadows were both arrested and taken into custody.
It is understood that police officers were alerted to two individuals who had been ‘causing a disturbance’ in the crowd during the second-half of Carlton’s 17-point defeat by bitter rivals Collingwood.
Police added that no one was injured following the incident. It is not known how the men gained access to the ground while allegedly carrying the weapons.
In a statement issued to Channel 7 reporter Mitch Cleary, Victoria Police said: ‘Police were called by security at the MCG to assist with two males refusing to leave the venue due to their behaviour.
Two men were arrested at the MCG on Thursday night after reports claimed they had allegedly ‘carried multiple loaded weapons’ into the venue
Police were alerted to a disturbance in the crowd during Carlton’s 17-point defeat by Collingwood
‘As a consequence, police have arrested two males and during a search, it is alleged that two firearms were located on each of these males.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Victoria Police, the MCG and the AFL for comment.
In 2024, the MCG upgraded it’s security systems by deploying a new AI-based screening system in partnership with Evolv Technology – a pioneer in the security screening space.
Fans attending the MCG pass through one of the brand’s airport security-style Evolv Express security gates before scanning their tickets at the turnstiles – which have also been upgraded in the past year to incorporate ‘touchless’ technology.
According to a press release from the company issued in March, the scanners are designed to ‘differentiate between weapons and common metals people carry’.
The AI-based scanners are designed to scan large quantities of people entering the ground at any one time, with approximately 3,500 fans able to access through one scanner every hour, according to reports from The Herald Sun.
Before the software’s introduction, stewards had to manually check visitors entering the ground for forbidden items.
Last year, MCG chief executive, Stuart Fox, told the Herald Sun: ‘We want everyone to have the best experience possible when they come to the ‘G, so we are always looking at new innovation to help elevate this.
Victoria police say that no one was injured during the matter. They added that officers had arrested a 21-year-old and a 37-year-old man
‘We have invested in some incredible cutting-edge technology that will set a new standard for security, efficiency and convenience.’
It came as Carlton suffered their fourth defeat on the bounce, on Thursday night.
Despite taking a lead heading into half-time, Michael Voss’ side waned in the second term, with Collingwood booting four goals after the break to give themselves a 25-point lead heading into the final quarter.
Despite late goals from Oliver Hollands and George Hewett, the Blues could not mount a comeback on their opponents, ultimately suffering a 8.15 (63) to 6.10 (46) defeat.
