Do not take my Lucazade away from me!

[AceFace]

A Belfast woman with Type 1 diabetes has been awarded £2,000 after security staff at a rock concert confiscated her fizzy drink.

Kayla Hanna, 20, was at a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert in Boucher Road in Belfast in 2016.

The student always carries Lucozade for her blood sugar levels, but staff employed by Eventsec Ltd removed it, despite her showing them her diabetes tattoo and insulin pack.

The judge ruled it was discrimination.

Miss Hanna, who was 18 at the time of the incident, told the court said she was going into the concert when she was told she could not bring in her bottle.

'Very anxious and upset'
"I told her [ the security guard] of my condition and showed her the tattoos on my wrist which indicate I have diabetes," she said.

"She said that 'anyone could have that' so I also showed her my insulin pack and the meter used to check my levels.

"She consulted with another guard and they insisted that they had a strict policy and they would not allow me to bring the drink inside."

Miss Hanna took a case under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland supported her.

She told the court she had been "very anxious and upset" throughout the gig.

"I really hope that now this issue has been brought to light it won't happen again to me or other people who live with diabetes," she added.

Judge Gilpin said that Eventsec Ltd had failed to provide a reasonable adjustment to its policy of not allowing liquids to be brought into the concert.

'Simple adjustment'
Mary Kitson, senior legal officer at the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland said: "These are the kind of circumstances in which the reasonable adjustment provisions in the Disability Discrimination Act can be most beneficial".

She added: "They are in the act to ensure that people with disabilities are not denied access to services by reason of general policies which can, in themselves, be otherwise justifiable and necessary.

"In this case, the company should have made arrangements to ensure that Kayla could have accessed Lucozade during the concert if needed, for example by directing her to its own medical centre at the venue and providing her with a bottle of Lucozade.

 

[HOBIE]

Is it the problem of the not so nice Bombers ? The security where just doing there job ? You are not allowed to take liquids into football games now ? Security Guards have a real problem theses days with drugs etc.

 

[AceFace]

Is it the problem of the not so nice Bombers ? The security where just doing there job ? You are not allowed to take liquids into football games now ? Security Guards have a real problem theses days with drugs etc.

Morning Hobbie i dont know just doing your job is not good enough you have to abide by the law she comes under the old disability act dont know what they call it now, would they take someone's wheel chair of them because it said so under their own policy.

 

[mikeyB]

The real question is whether the security folk were confiscating jelly babies. People with diabetes have to live in the real world - for example, taking liquids on to aeroplanes. There has to be some give and take. The security company have been taken for a ride in my opinion.

I hate lucozade.

 

[Radders]

I’m having a related issue where I’m going to an all afternoon/evening outdoor concert and you’re not allowed to take your own food. I’ve contacted the organisers and they said they’re going to arrange to send me and the gate staff a letter giving me permission, but so far it hasn’t arrived.
I think it’s purely about profit in this case and nothing to do with security and I find it in lots of places- apart from restaurants (obviously) I don’t think they should be able to force you to pay their inflated prices not to mention queuing for ages when you’re there for a concert, plus all the disposable items that are generated as a result!

 

[Pumper_Sue]

As it's a well known fact that bottles are not allowed at most venues then it's down to the person with diabetes to make a reasonable adjustment. There are loads of different hypo treatments available.

 

[AceFace]

I dont go anywhere without my Lucazade which is fine just wont go to concert

 

[CosmicHedgehog]

The disability discrimination act is a floppy law at best and full of holes. I have had lot of experience with it because of my disabled son (multiple disabilities ). Usually it all comes under the reasonable adjustment part BUT that clause is down to the discretion of the venue/school/workplace etc as to what THEY deem a reasonable adjustment (unless it is a requirement to keep you alive such as your insulin pump/ oxygen tank etc) that you will agree to. So without pre contacting the venue and agreeing on an allowance or reasonable adjustment it's not really the venues fault. It all comes under the need to pre plan and discuss a reasonable adjustment, They would have been within thier rights to say no liquid but she could have a pack of dextro with her for example. That is 'reasonable adjustment' With venues there is a no liquid rule for the safety of all attending. I think the lesson here is contact the venue or event organisers first if you want to take something in that you need permission for. Most places are very accomodating i have never really had a problem regarding anything for my son or myself because i pre plan.

 

[HOBIE]

Can you imagine what the parents thought about the Manchester incident. This is a problem for all of us ? Its another storey from the papers.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

People with diabetes have to live in the real world - for example, taking liquids on to aeroplanes. There has to be some give and take. The security company have been taken for a ride in my opinion.

Usually only tiny volumes of liquid though. (Though I think gels also count, so Frio things are also an issue.) Probably a bit more significant is that we have to have things which are sharp and pointy.

 

[C&E Guy]

I heard this on the News this morning.

I did think it was odd since, knowing the rules etc, couldn't she just for once have taken some Hypostop, Dextrose or Jelly Babies in her pocket. It was just for a few hours after all.

 

[grovesy]

From what I have seen posted on here by various posters that most like to stay with remedy that works for them and can depend on.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

It does seem to be a bad precedent.
But in reality, as the judge said, all venues will have to do is put a few bottles of Lucozade in the the medical room, and ensure that the disabled know it is available for them.
Personally, I would be unhappy if it was interpreted as carte blanche to take your own bottle of liquid in, as we're then back to crowd safety, with anything from injury caused by throwing full bottles, to liquid explosives being smuggled in.
"Reasonable adjustment" has to be reasonable to everyone else.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

From what I have seen posted on here by various posters that most like to stay with remedy that works for them and can depend on.

Glucose is glucose and as others have said hypo stop/gel will do for the day as do little individual icing tubes which contain 14 gm of carbs. It was a fuss about nothing and in all honesty I would be far to embarrassed to even contemplate going to court and claiming damages for what amounts to lack of forward planning on the complainants part.

 

[bamba]

It does seem to be a bad precedent.
But in reality, as the judge said, all venues will have to do is put a few bottles of Lucozade in the the medical room, and ensure that the disabled know it is available for them.
Personally, I would be unhappy if it was interpreted as carte blanche to take your own bottle of liquid in, as we're then back to crowd safety, with anything from injury caused by throwing full bottles, to liquid explosives being smuggled in.
"Reasonable adjustment" has to be reasonable to everyone else.

Never mind the litter from the orange cellophane.

 

[mikeyB]

Cellophane is made from cellulose and is biodegradable. Just for info🙂

 

[Deleted member 21371]

I’m having a related issue where I’m going to an all afternoon/evening outdoor concert and you’re not allowed to take your own food. I’ve contacted the organisers and they said they’re going to arrange to send me and the gate staff a letter giving me permission, but so far it hasn’t arrived.
I think it’s purely about profit in this case and nothing to do with security and I find it in lots of places- apart from restaurants (obviously) I don’t think they should be able to force you to pay their inflated prices not to mention queuing for ages when you’re there for a concert, plus all the disposable items that are generated as a result!

It's easy to claim every thing is about money, but again though, this does raise security issues.
You're taking several large amounts of untestable substances into a crowded public event, in the form of heavily flavoured/scented solids and semi solids, which no one can physically handle or inspect.

 

[mikeyB]

Indeed. I remember on a train from Moscow to Leningrad in the good old days when alcohol was banned on trains we were in a compartment with a big bottle of Pepsi.

Mixed 70/30 with vodka.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Just the other day, on Radio 4 You and Yours, they were talking about hour long quies for any food or drink at concerts in the last couple of weeks. Generally there is a health issue with having drinks in this heat.
I'm not sure what the health & safety issue with plastic bottles of drinks is (other than the results of alcohol).
If it's terrorists with bombs, then is that really how they'd get a bomb in. Most venues are probably bothered more about customers having there own drinks, instead of buying the venues (even if it means not buying cause of excessive queues).

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Just the other day, on Radio 4 You and Yours, they were talking about hour long quies for any food or drink at concerts in the last couple of weeks. Generally there is a health issue with having drinks in this heat.
I'm not sure what the health & safety issue with plastic bottles of drinks is (other than the results of alcohol).
If it's terrorists with bombs, then is that really how they'd get a bomb in. Most venues are probably bothered more about customers having there own drinks, instead of buying the venues (even if it means not buying cause of excessive queues).

Both Health and Safety issues and liquid explosives are well documented, fortunately events take the issue as a serious threat, and again, it's not always about the venue being out to rip us off with their drinks.
It would be a massive backwards step to remove security from packed events, and bring a free for all policy back on what you can take into a crowded arena or park.