Rotterdam incident: Police cancel rock gig of Californian band Allah-Las as bus loaded with gas cannisters found nearby
A concert featuring an American rock band has been cancelled as police found a bus loaded with gas cannisters nearby.
Allah-Las, from California, were due to play in Rotterdam on Wednesday night but armed police descended on the venue after a tip-off from Spanish police about a potential terror attack.
Rotterdam's mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb said a Spanish van containing the "gas bottles" was found near the venue, adding the driver of the van had been arrested.
However he said it isn't yet clear whether the threat and the van are connected.
Images have emerged on social media showing officers wearing bullet proof vests and a number of emergency services vehicles at the scene.
Concert Allah-Las in de Maassilo in Rdam afgelast vanwege mogelijke terreurdreiging. pic.twitter.com/uzibIWcitc
— Henrik-Willem Hofs (@HWHofs) August 23, 2017
Concert organiser Rotown confirmed on Twitter that the show at the 1,000-capacity Maassilo venue in the Dutch city was cancelled on orders of police.
It posted: "In response to the police, we are forced to cancel the concert of Allah-Las in the Maassilo tonight.
"It's a terror threat, the Maassilo is currently being evacuated."
Concert van band Allah-Las in de Maassilo gaat niet door op last van de politie. Agenten met kogelwerende vesten zetten omgeving af. pic.twitter.com/U4bTeVsf9t
— robert bas (@robertpbas) August 23, 2017
The band's support act was due to be Turkish psychedelic folk band Altin Gun.
They posted on Facebook: "Hey guys, the police have arrived and have been forced to cancel tonight's show with Allah-las.
"So sorry about this! More information will follow."
Allah-Las, a four-piece band from Los Angeles, are currently on a European tour.
They say they chose to use Allah - meaning god in Arabic - in their name because they wanted something that sounded "holy".