Justice for the 96.

[Deleted member 37751]

After twenty three years, the Liverpool fans that died at Hillsborough can hopefully rest in peace.

I hope it gives some closure to the bereaved families as well.

 

[renault12ts]

After twenty three years, the Liverpool fans that died at Hillsborough can hopefully rest in peace.

I hope it gives some closure to the bereaved families as well.

Why...what was the verdict?

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Why...what was the verdict?

That the Liverpool fans were not responsible in any way for what happened that day and the police and a part of the media (such as The Scum) tried to blame those fans.

 

[Palfrem]

I suspect we are in for an interesting few months as more and more of this disgraceful episode comes to light.

 

[davidjpowell]

I suspect we are in for an interesting few months as more and more of this disgraceful episode comes to light.

Maybe. Those who were in power 25 years ago are long gone I would have though though.

 

[Mike Walker]

A close friend was there that day and still has flashbacks when the Semi - Finals come around each year. I can also clearly remember where my family and I were when we heard the radio commentary - we just could not believe what was happening. A truly awful day.

 

[LTD]

I think this is just the end of the beginning for the families.

A lot of questions now need asked by the authorities about accountability.

 

[tonysurf]

I heard on the news that the families may press to re open the inquests, with a view to getting the cause of death changed, this would then lead to those guilty of covering up, changing witness statements, feeding the press false information etc being brought to justice. I do hope that all the families involved realise that we do not all believe what is written in The Sun, and wish them well in whatever they wish to do with the results of the inquiry.

 

[seven]

Highly likely there will be a public inquiry now I would have thought.

 

[Paul/]

The absolution of blame and apology to the fans was necessary, but not a surprising conclusion- the shocking part is that some of what followed the tragedy sounds like the sinister machinations of a police state, and has managed to avoid revelation for so long.

 

[Scott_F]

That the Liverpool fans were not responsible in any way for what happened that day and the police and a part of the media (such as The Scum) tried to blame those fans.

That isn't my understanding.

Although the authorities made mistakes and then lied and went to great lengths to cover their own backsides (don't they always ?), the fact remains that a large number of Liverpool fans arrived without tickets and attempted to cause confusion in order to force entry to the terraces shortly before kick-off.

The reporting by The Sun remains unforgiven in Liverpool and rightly so.

 

[Paul/]

That isn't my understanding....the fact remains that a large number of Liverpool fans arrived without tickets and attempted to cause confusion in order to force entry to the terraces shortly before kick-off.
QUOTE]

Please see chapter 12 of the report, e.g.

"Lord Justice Taylor’s Interim Report condemned the evidence and testimony of senior police o[FONT=MingLiU_HKSCS][/FONT]cers and rejected as exaggerated the allegations made against Liverpool fans. He stated categorically that fans’ behaviour played no part in the disaster"

 

[Scott_F]

Please see chapter 12 of the report, e.g.

"Lord Justice Taylor’s Interim Report condemned the evidence and testimony of senior police o[FONT=MingLiU_HKSCS][/FONT]cers and rejected as exaggerated the allegations made against Liverpool fans. He stated categorically that fans’ behaviour played no part in the disaster"

From Ch12:

"2.12.140 Further, LJ Taylor found no evidence to demonstrate that there was a ‘very significant body of ticketless fans in the crowd which built up’. He also dismissed the ‘slender evidence’ on which the ‘suggestion that fans without tickets conspired to arrive late and create such trouble as would force the police to admit them to the match’ was based."

I find this rather hard to understand. Bearing in mind that, by 3pm, the Leppings Lane end was hugely overcrowded then it follows that many of those on that terrace must have been ticketless.

 

[Paul/]

From Ch12:
Bearing in mind that, by 3pm, the Leppings Lane end was hugely overcrowded then it follows that many of those on that terrace must have been ticketless.

Not necessarily- Ch1 highlights various issues re capacity of Leppings Lane and distribution between pens.

 

[artyman]

I just hope that those responsible for 'cooking the evidence' are brought to justice.

 

[Tazz666]

I just hope that those responsible for 'cooking the evidence' are brought to justice.

Here here,
It is a simple case of perverting the course of justice,
those High ranking Officers,and minions who helped cover it up should be prosecuted,IMHO
As if it was joe public ithey would be dealt with in accordance to the law

 

[Ream]

This was an accident made to happen and Liverpool the club chosen.

The club was the biggest in the world at the time and had the largest following away from home along with manchester utd, the worse ground was chosen and then to make matters worse the smallest section in the ground was given to the biggest club (THE FA have never been attacked fully for this).

8 years earlier 40 fans where seriously injured in the same way in the same stand following spurs and had they been as big as Liverpool this would have been 40 dead. (the FA again)

Yes Liverpool fans where and still are well known for having fans come to games without tickets it was no big secret to the police FA and govt, what happened after was a cover up by police Tory govt helped by Murdoch ,all 3 benefited from the resulting changes in football.

 

[neilrr]

I had a feeling this was gonna end up being Thatcher's fault.

 

[martin_a]

Not necessarily- Ch1 highlights various issues re capacity of Leppings Lane and distribution between pens.

This.

The issue was overcrowdign in pens 3 and 4 thanks to police/stewards not the fans. The side pens were relatively empty so there were not too many fans in that end at all.

Scott, you should re-read it rather than continue to believe the lies the police put about in the aftermath.

m.

 

[Scott_F]

This.

The issue was overcrowdign in pens 3 and 4 thanks to police/stewards not the fans. The side pens were relatively empty so there were not too many fans in that end at all.

Scott, you should re-read it rather than continue to believe the lies the police put about in the aftermath.

m.

It's not a case of me believing the lies that the police and others in positions of authority have used to deflect blame from themselves. I hope that prosecutions take place although I fear that most of those who lied and tampered with statements will get away with it.

However, as a life-long Liverpool supporter, I also know that at the time the club had a large-ish group of supporters who would travel to games without a ticket. They were particularly prevalent for big matches in Europe and in the UK, like this one.

I can understand how the Taylor report failed to find evidence for this since no one was ever going to admit to having got in without a ticket. Today, tickets are usually paid for with cards and are for allocated seats. In the 80's, they would usually be paid for at the ticket office in cash and there was little in the way of a paper trail, especially for standing terraces.

Mistakes were clearly made, which may be understandable. A deliberate attempt to cover these up is not so. However, there are people alive today who know that they went to that game with no ticket and were determined to get in to the ground. In a cruel twist, they would be likely to be at the back of the crush when things went wrong.