Parents whose children died at major events open UKCMA conference

The UK Crowd Management Association (UKCMA) Conference kicked off today (3 March) with a landmark keynote panel featuring three parents who have each transformed personal tragedy into international advocacy for safer live events.

The conference, which is running until 4 March in Middlesbrough under the banner Safer Crowds, Safer Venues 2026, commenced with the panel featuring Brian Dubiski, Figen Murray OBE and Ken Johnson.

Murray (pictured with Dubiski) led the campaign for Martyn’s Law, the world’s first-of-its-kind counter terrorism legislation, following the death of her son Martyn in the 2017 Manchester Arena attack.

After Dubiski’s daughter Madison died at the 2021 Astroworld concert he co-founded the Pink Bows Foundation and has been instrumental in the success of the Showstop Procedure event safety initiative that was launched at the Event Production Show last year.

Johnson lost his son, Scott, a Radiohead drum technician, in the 2012 stage roof collapse at Toronto’s Downsview Park. He later founded the Events Safety Alliance Canada Safety Awards, championing excellence and accountability in live event safety.

“This headline panel is central to the UKCMA’s mission,” said UKCMA chair Anne Marie Chebib. “Learning from incidents and taking collective action is key to preventing future tragedies. We are deeply honoured to welcome three parents who have dedicated themselves to campaigning for safer crowds and venues worldwide.”

Dubiski said, “I’m deeply honoured to be speaking alongside Figen Murray and Ken Johnson. The Pink Bows Foundation is driven by a simple but powerful belief—that every crowd deserves to return home safely. That belief sits at the very heart of the work being championed by the event safety and security professionals gathered at this UKCMA conference.

“We are passionately committed to supporting the sector as it continues to strengthen the protection of audiences, by sharing lessons learned from around the world and helping to embed best practice. Through initiatives such as the Showstop Procedure, we aim to turn tragedy into meaningful action — work that closely reflects the spirit and purpose of Martyn’s Law here in the UK.”