Disabled woman will never return to Hampden after Calvin Harris gig

Judith Langlands-Scott, 55, had travelled to the Glasgow venue with her husband and son for the recent concert but said a series of distressing incidents left her feeling unsafe.

The family ultimately went home before the show began and watched Saturday night’s BBC broadcast from their sofa – a “sad” end to what Judith called a “nightmare” evening, describing the atmosphere around the venue as “apocalyptic”.

A regular gig-goer with an “eclectic” music taste, Judith attends dozens of concerts each year.

She said the family arrived well ahead of time because of what she described as restrictive disabled-parking arrangements, which required them to be there around two hours before doors opened to secure a space.

Judith, from Forfar, says she was first verbally abused at Asda's Toryglen Superstore, where they went after parking up, and told to "get out of the way" while waiting in the queue.

Her husband intervened, but they were subjected to a tirade of abuse by a man in the supermarket.

Leaving the supermarket shaken, they made the journey back to Hampden, where a man jumped on the back of her wheelchair, shook the handles, and shouted, 'go on then, do a wheelie' before jumping off.

Calvin Harris in Glasgow (Image: Nick Ponty)

Speaking about the harrowing experience, she said: "I felt very vulnerable and very threatened in a way that I've never felt before in a wheelchair.

"It was a really bad vibe, just drunkenness on a different scale. Drunk people on pavements, drinking in the streets - they weren't using the facilities that were there, just going in the grass around where the food vans are and behind trees."

Judith said a friend who worked at the stadium for 15 years told her they had "never seen anything like it", adding that they "saw so much in the streets surrounding the stadium, fights, drinking, drugs, people lay unconscious, it was absolute carnage."

At this point, Judith and her family had decided they would head home.

Before they could, a "blind drunk" woman fell on top of her, landing in her lap, and "all of her friends just started laughing and thought it was hilarious".

A passing Samaritan helped her and chastised the group, being met with abuse for doing so, before speaking with two police officers in attendance.

Judith said that no official report was made with them but raised concerns that they were "the only two officers" she could see at the 50,000-capacity stadium.

Hampden Park, now known as Barclays Hampden (Image: Carver PR)

In response to her concerns, a Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A proportionate policing plan was in place at Hampden to ensure public safety, and while we would not provide the number of officers deployed, it would be completely inaccurate to suggest there were only two officers policing these events.”

Police Scotland confirmed after the event that it had made three arrests on the Saturday night.

Two people were released without charge, and a 21-year-old man was charged and reported in connection with alleged threatening and abusive behaviour and a warrant.

Judith, her husband, and their son headed home and vowed then and there to "never go to Hampden ever again."

She admitted it was a "real shame," considering the "fantastic" experience they had when attending the Metallica concert at the stadium in June.

Metallica perform at Hampden on their M72 world tour (Image: Newsquest)

"Those were all metal fans, dressed in black and supposed to be all scary, but they were the nicest, most welcoming fans around," she said, and claimed that the "outnumbering young women" in attendance appeared to be at the heart of the issues.

Judith's main concerns are that there's a lack of awareness or compassion around people with disabilities by some people. She said: "I don't know if there's just this huge intolerance or maybe disabled people are seen as an inconvenience or a joke.

"I already find it difficult being in the outside world in a wheelchair. But, until now, I’ve always been supported and looked after by gig-goers. Live music was my happy place. Maybe it can be again, but it will take a lot of courage from me to try."

Judith hopes that sharing her experience will raise awareness.

She said: "If you're jumping on someone's wheelchair or falling into them on a wheelchair, it's not a machine. You're not a machine - It’s an extension of your body."

Sean Donachie, deputy director of services at Capability Scotland, said that reading about Judith's experience is "deeply upsetting."

He said: "Attending a concert should be a joyful experience, yet what she describes is a series of incidents that left her feeling unsafe, humiliated and unwelcome.

"At Capability Scotland, we believe disabled people have the same right as everyone else to enjoy their community, attend events, and take part in everyday life without fear of harassment or discrimination. Accessibility is not just about ramps, viewing platforms or accessible toilets. It is about respect, dignity and recognising disabled people's right to occupy public spaces on equal terms."

Donachie echoed Judith's message that "a wheelchair is not a novelty and it is not something for others to touch, move or interfere with. For many people, it is an extension of their independence and personal space". Adding, "behaviours that some may dismiss as a joke can be frightening, degrading and potentially dangerous."

The charity's deputy director made clear that "none of the incidents she describes were unavoidable consequences of being in a large crowd."

Donachie said: "They were the result of individual choices and attitudes. That should concern all of us. We have made progress as a society in how we talk about disability, but experiences like this remind us that disabled people continue to face barriers that are created not by their condition, but by the behaviour of others.

"Disabled people should not have to think twice about whether it is safe to attend a major event. Event organisers, public services and all of us as members of the public have a responsibility to create environments where disabled people feel respected, included and protected."

Judith and her husband at Hampden for the Metallica concert in June, where they had a "fantastic experience" in stark contrast to the events around the Calvin Harris show (Image: Supplied)

Donachie went on to urge event organisers "to see accessibility as an ongoing responsibility, not simply a compliance exercise."

He said: "That means working closely with disabled people to understand their experiences, ensuring staff and security teams are trained to recognise and respond to disability-related incidents, and creating clear, visible routes for concerns to be raised and acted upon quickly. Just as importantly, organisers should use their platforms to promote a culture of respect and inclusion before, during and after events.

"Judith's experience is a powerful reminder that true inclusion is about more than physical access. It is about treating disabled people with the dignity, courtesy and respect that every person deserves."

The event's organiser, DF Concerts, declined to comment as "the policing of the event is a matter agreed between Police Scotland and the venue."

The SFA, which operates Hampden Park, told The Herald that the venue falls under the event organisers' responsibility during the events for which they book the stadium.

Asda was approached for comment but did not respond.