You would think football would have learned the lessons from the disasters at Hysel and Hillsborough but it would seem not….
Why is it that european police in particular like to hit first and ask questions later where english fans are concerned?
****Courtesy of BBC News****
Uefa is investigating the crush scare involving Manchester United fans at the Champions League tie against Lille.
United supporters appeared to be pushed against a 10-foot high metal fence and at least two people had to be lifted over the barriers to safety.
Riot police then fired tear gas and swung truncheons at those who were trying to climb over the fence.
The Old Trafford club are appealing for eye-witness reports to the incidents at Lens’ Stade Felix-Bollaert.
“We have obviously received a lot of information from various sources but we would welcome any more detail from fans in the affected area,” said United director of communications Phil Townsend.
Fans have already spoken out at what they believed to be an over-reaction by the police.
“I think people were worried it might be like Hillsborough and so they started climbing the fence and trying to get out the stand,” said 27-year-old supporter Mark Harrison, from Lymm, Cheshire.
“The police reaction was well over the top, they started spraying us with pepper spray, my eyes were streaming and I couldn’t catch my breath.
“The police reaction just made things worse.”
United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar suffered double vision as a result of the tear gas fired into the stand.
Television reports suggested the gates at the back of the stand had been opened by police to allow United supporters with tickets for the home section of the stadium to sit with their own fans.
Leave a Reply