It was selected by the Football Association (FA) as a neutral venue to host the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest football clubs. [236], On 30 April 1989, a friendly match organised by Celtic F.C. [134][135][136][137] Calls were also made for Sir Dave Richards to resign as chairman of the Premier League and give up his knighthood as a result of his conduct at Sheffield Wednesday at the time of the disaster. Duckenfield took medical retirement on a full police pension. In the email, which came to light as the result of a Freedom of Information request, Crompton had said that the families' "version of certain events has become 'the truth' even though it isn't". During a 2011 debate in the House of Commons, the Labour MP for Liverpool Walton, Steve Rotheram, read out a list of the victims and, as a result, the names were recorded in the Hansard transcripts. [107] Chester City F.C. [194], On 21 August 2018, it was announced that all charges against Bettison were being dropped as the CPS felt that there was insufficient evidence to have a realistic chance of a conviction. I had to scream at the police officer to allow us privacy . Although Liverpool had more supporters, Nottingham Forest was allocated the larger area, to avoid the approach routes of rival fans crossing. Inquests into the deaths were opened and adjourned immediately after the disaster. The police became a convenient scapegoat, and the Sun newspaper a whipping-boy for daring, albeit in a tasteless fashion, to hint at the wider causes of the incident. Former Sheffield Wednesday F.C. The Spectator's comments were widely circulated following the April 2016 verdict by the Hillsborough inquest's second hearing proving unlawful killing of the 96 dead at Hillsborough. I was not sorry then and I'm not sorry now". [145] Maria Eagle confirmed her understanding that WMP actions in this respect would be the subject of IPCC scrutiny. The jury saw CCTV images of the girls and their father going through the turnstiles at 13:53. The report said "When spectators first appeared on the track, the immediate assumption in the control room was that a pitch invasion was threatened. [261][262] The Financial Times reported in 2019 that Merseyside sales were estimated to drop from 55,000 per day to 12,000 per day, an 80% decrease. Deborah Glass, deputy chair of the IPCC said, "We know the people who have contacted us are the tip of the iceberg." It has taken more than two decades, 400,000 documents and a two-year inquiry to discover to my horror that it would have been far more accurate had I written the headline The Lies rather than The Truth. In memory of 96 people, that have lost their lives.song: ''Denez Prigdent & Lisa Gerrard - Gortoz A Ran'' [126][127], The panel noted that, despite being dismissed by the Taylor Report, the idea that alcohol contributed to the disaster proved remarkably durable. Meanwhile, on the pitch, police, stewards and members of the St John Ambulance service were overwhelmed. fans had died (a 96th fan died in 1993, and 97th in 2021).An interim report was published in August 1989 . A Leeds fan described disorganisation at the turnstiles and no steward or police direction inside the stadium, resulting in the crowd in one enclosure becoming so compressed he was at times unable to raise and clap his hands. It was a fundamental mistake. Speaking after the disaster, Kelly backed all-seater stadiums, saying "We must move fans away from the ritual of standing on terraces". Holes in the perimeter fencing were made by fans desperately attempting to rescue others. The crushing occurred during a match at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England, on April 15, 1989. [46]:138140 Others who did leave their vehicles were then faced with the obstacles inherent in placing distance between themselves and their equipment. [1] This resulted in overcrowding of those pens and the crush. The police were worried about fatal crushing. Possibly connected to the excitement, a surge in pen 3 caused one of its metal crush barriers to give way. Among the guests were bereaved father James Delaney and his wife Eileen, who said "they didnt give the poor people who were killed any dignity . Although there was enough evidence to charge the farrier with perverting the course of justice, it was felt not to be in the public interest to charge him. [18], A report by Eastwood & Partners for a safety certificate for the stadium in 1978 concluded that although it failed to meet the recommendations of the Green Guide, a guide to safety at sports grounds, the consequences were minor. Anne Williams, who died in 2013, rejected the coroner's decision that the Hillsborough victims, including her son, had died before 3:15pm, citing witness statements that described him showing signs of life at 4:00pm. [203], In response to the acquittals, Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg called the lack of accountability over Hillsborough "the greatest scandal of British policing of our lifetimes". Chief Superintendent Mole himself was to be transferred to the Barnsley division for "career development reasons". All five were bailed to appear at the Crown Court in September. List of archive and library material relating to the disaster held at Sheffield City Council's Libraries and Archives. [54] The following Sunday, a link of football scarves spanning the 1 mile (1.6km) distance across Stanley Park from Goodison Park to Anfield was created, with the final scarf in position at 3:06pm. [313] In another letter written to a Liverpool supporter, also written in 1996, Ingham remarked that people should "shut up about Hillsborough". "[114] This was controversial as the subsequent response of the police and emergency services would not be scrutinised. [115] Falconer added: "It made the families in the Hillsborough disaster feel after one establishment cover-up, here was another. Liverpool lodged a complaint before the match in 1989. Hillsborough hosted five FA Cup semi-finals in the 1980s. We said it was the truth - it wasn't for that we're deeply ashamed and profoundly sorry". Some supporters were delayed by roadworks while crossing the Pennines on the M62 motorway which resulted in minor traffic congestion. The Taylor Inquiry sat for a total of 31 days (between 15May and 29June 1989)[92] and published two reports: an interim report (1August 1989) which laid out the events of the day and immediate conclusions; and a final report (19January 1990) which outlined general recommendations on football ground safety. The event also raised cash for the Marina Dalglish Appeal which was contributed towards a radiotherapy centre at University Hospital in Aintree.[230][231]. The findings concluded that 164 witness statements had been altered. It obviously wasn't a silly mistake; nor was it a simple oversight. The remaining 14 victims lived in other parts of England. His cousin, Steven Gerrard, then aged 8, went on to become Liverpool F.C. Labour MP Steve Rotheram, commented: "How insensitive does somebody have to be to write that load of drivel? [299], Fans of rival clubs[300] have been known to chant about the Hillsborough disaster at football matches, in order to upset Liverpool fans. South Yorkshire Police had performed blood alcohol tests on the victims, some of them children, and ran computer checks on the national police database in an attempt to "impugn their reputation". [283], On 27 April 2016, Times staffers in the sports department expressed their outrage over the paper's decision to cover 26 April inquest, which ruled that the 96 dead were unlawfully killed, only on an inside spread and the sports pages, with some in the newspaper claiming there was a "mutiny" in the sports department. To which the plain answer is that a good and sufficient minority of you behave like animals. He later apologised and said "I know that fan unrest played no part in the terrible events of April 1989 and I apologise to Liverpool fans and the families of those killed and injured in the Hillsborough disaster if my comments caused any offence." [247], The information was provided to the newspaper by Whites News Agency in Sheffield;[248] the newspaper cited claims by police inspector Gordon Sykes, that Liverpool fans had pickpocketed the dead,[249] as well as other claims by unnamed police officers and local Conservative MP Irvine Patnick. [106] Purpose-built stadiums for Premier League and most Football League teams since the report are all-seater. According to the BBC report: "The names of the victims were read from the memorial book and floral tributes were laid at a plaque bearing their names. [4] In 2009 a Hillsborough Independent Panel was formed to review the evidence. A 20 minute video of the disaster in Windows Media Player format. Published. [301] Leeds United chairman Ken Bates endorsed this call in the club programme and stated, "Leeds have suffered at times with reference to Galatasaray; some of our so-called fans have also been guilty as well, particularly in relation to Munich." [39] Those still trapped in the pens were packed so tightly that many victims died of compressive asphyxia while standing. The Crown Prosecution Service subsequently dropped all charges against one of the defendants. [39] The police at first attempted to stop fans from spilling out of the pens, some believing this to be a pitch invasion. [77] Jon-Paul Gilhooley, aged 10, was the youngest person to die. He added it would be like making jokes about the 2002 Bali bombings, in which eight fewer Australians were killed. [24][25] The incident nonetheless prompted Sheffield Wednesday to alter the layout at the Leppings Lane end, dividing the terrace into three separate pens to restrict sideways movement. Consequently, a course of public justice could not have been perverted. [272], The coverage was widely condemned on social media, with Twitter users saying that this reflected "Murdoch's view on Hillsborough", which was a "smear", which "now daren't speak its name". [250][251] The Daily Express also carried Patnick's version, under the headline "Police Accuse Drunken Fans" which gave Patnick's views, saying he had told Margaret Thatcher, while escorting her on a tour of the ground after the disaster, of the "mayhem caused by drunks" and that policemen told him they were "hampered, harassed, punched and kicked". Jones stated that minutes after the disaster, Duckenfield "deceitfully and dishonestly" told senior FA officials that the supporters had forced the gate open. At a meeting in Liverpool with relatives of those involved in Hillsborough in October 1997, he flippantly remarked "Have you got a few of your people or are they like the Liverpool fans, turn up at the last minute? [46]:137,138 As this declaration was not immediately performed, confusion reigned over those attempting to administer aid on the pitch. The reason given was that the public inquiry in 1990, to which the altered statements were submitted, was not a statutory inquiry, and therefore not a Court of Law. [238][239], In December 2021, Liverpool City Council nominated Andrew Devine posthumously for the freedom of the city of Liverpool, a tribute given to the original 96 victims in 2016. The entrance had a limited number of turnstiles, of which just seven . Hillsborough: anatomy of a disaster Guardian The evidence built into a startling indictment of South Yorkshire police, their chain of command and conduct - a relentlessly detailed evisceration. Ruling on Submissions of No Case to Answer", "Lack of Hillsborough accountability is a scandal, says minister", "Hillsborough families attack 'ludicrous' acquittals of police", "Hillsborough families to sue police for 'abuse on industrial scale', "Hillsborough: Police forces agree cover-up compensation for victims", "Hillsborough memorial returns to Anfield", "Anfield memorial updated in honour of 97th victim of Hillsborough", "Hillsborough memorial clock unveiled at Liverpool Town Hall", "Everton FC to unveil tribute to Hillsborough 96 ahead of Merseyside derby", "Uefa to help Liverpool avoid Hillsborough clash", "Anfield's Hillsborough memorial service to be held for last time in April", "Football to remember Hillsborough disaster", "A minute's silence to remember Hillsborough", "Liverpool avoid Hillsborough anniversary clash", "Thousands flock to Anfield as Liverpool marks 20th anniversary of Hillsborough", "Hundreds mark Hillsborough anniversary in city", "Giggs showed that even in a cash-conscious age the game has moments which defy evaluation", "Milan vs Real Madrid Fans Sing You'll Never Walk Alone", "MP's tearful tribute to Hillsborough 96", "Hillsborough debate full transcript: Read everything MPs said in the House of Commons link to full video now added", "Hillsborough: 97th victim's family 'proud' of Freedom of Liverpool award", "Chapter 12: Behind the headlines: the origins, promotion and reproduction of unsubstantiated allegations (Page 3 of 10): 'The Truth', "The Immediate Aftermath The Media Reaction Hillsborough Football Disaster", "Is it time to forgive and forget Kelvin Mackenzie and the Sun over the lies they told about Hillsborough? [123] The number is based on post-mortem examinations which found some victims may have had heart, lung or blood circulation function for some time after being removed from the crush. It's too little, too late. I bent down to kiss and talk to [my son] and as we stood up there was a policeman who came from behind me . Liverpool's goalkeeper, Bruce Grobbelaar, reported fans from behind him pleading to him for help as the situation worsened. [53] Standing on terraces and the use of perimeter fencing around the pitch, the use of CCTV, the timing of football matches and policing of sporting events were factors for a subsequent inquiry to consider. I think there will be a real boycott." [citation needed], A television drama, based on the disaster and subsequent events, titled simply Hillsborough, was produced by Granada Television in 1996. Transcripts of the proceedings and evidence that was produced during the hearings were published at the Hillsborough Inquests official website. [66][67], By the disaster's 10th anniversary in 1999, at least three people who survived were known to have taken their own lives. . [4][8] Reporting in 2012, it confirmed Taylor's 1990 criticisms and revealed details about the extent of police efforts to shift blame onto fans, the role of other emergency services and the error of the first coroner's inquests. On 11 April 2009, Liverpool fans sang "You'll Never Walk Alone" as a tribute to the upcoming anniversary of the disaster before the home game against Blackburn Rovers (which ended in Liverpool winning 40) and was followed by former Liverpool player, Stephen Warnock presenting a memorial wreath to the Kop showing the figure 96 in red flowers. Their views were not "the maverick view from a disaffected minority but the considered opinion of the majority of professionals present from the outset". [26][27] The terrace was divided into five pens when the club was promoted to the First Division in 1984, and a crush barrier near the access tunnel was removed in 1986 to improve the flow of fans entering and exiting the central enclosure. This was unlikely at the beginning of a match. As the Panel explained in their report:[46]:146. A member of the Hillsborough Families Support Group responded "too little, too late". The Liverpool Legends, comprising ex-Liverpool footballers beat the All Stars, captained by actor Ricky Tomlinson, 31. In paragraph 5 of his summary, Lord Justice Stuart-Smith said:[113]. Their claims were dismissed and the Alcock decision was upheld. In response, Trevor Hicks, chairman of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, rejected MacKenzie's apology as "too little, too late", calling him "lowlife, clever lowlife, but lowlife". Popper said this was because the victims were either dead, or brain dead, by 3:15pm. [85], One of the individual cases where the circumstances of death were not fully resolved was that of Kevin Williams, the fifteen-year-old son of Anne Williams. [187] The inquiry was first headed by former Durham Chief Constable Jon Stoddart, and later by Assistant Commissioner Rob Beckley. The entrance is formed of only seven turnstiles, at the top of a bottleneck-shaped road. 15 April 1989. In April 2016, a private prosecution was launched on behalf of victims' relatives against both SYP and the West Midlands Police force (who had investigated the actions of SYP), alleging a concerted cover-up designed to shift blame away from the police. Announcing the report to the House of Commons, Home Secretary Jack Straw backed Stuart-Smith's findings and said that "I do not believe that a further inquiry could or would uncover significant new evidence or provide any relief for the distress of those who have been bereaved. That's why I am so grateful to my city and so proud of my city. [278] Everton F.C. [32], Meanwhile, Hillsborough was accepted as the FA Cup semi-final venue on 20 March 1989 by the Football Association. After the disaster's 20th anniversary in April 2009, supported by the Culture secretary, Andy Burnham, and Minister of State for Justice, Maria Eagle, the government asked the Home Office and Department of Culture, Media and Sport to investigate the best way for this information to be made public. In July 2021, a coroner ruled that Andrew Devine, who died 32 years after suffering severe and irreversible brain damage on the day, was the 97th victim. [284][286] Gary Lineker described the incident as "disgusting as it is unsurprising",[287] and David Walsh, chief sports writer at the Sunday Times, said it was a "shocking misjudgment" to not include this story on the front page. . One supporter wrote to the Football Association and Minister for Sport: "The whole area was packed solid to the point where it was impossible to move and where I, and others around me, felt considerable concern for personal safety. After the last verdict was read out, I decided to jot down a few thoughts. There are soapy politicians to make a pet of Liverpool, and Liverpool itself is always standing by to make a pet of itself. The only one called was the Sheffield Wednesday club doctor. ", "Hillsborough: Freemason cops banned from working on criminal probe into cover-up", "Freemasons barred from investigation into alleged Hillsborough 'cover-up', "Hillsborough disaster: Why have freemasons been banned from the 1989 tragedy 'cover up' probe? Twenty-three years ago I was handed a piece of copy from a reputable news agency in Sheffield, in which a senior police officer and a senior local MP were making serious allegations against fans in the stadium. Following the findings of the Independent Panel in September 2012, Alex Ferguson and two Manchester United fan groups called for an end to the "sick chants". Merseyside Police Authority confirmed that Bettison would receive an 83,000 pension, unless convicted of a criminal offence. Resumed on 19 November 1990,[81] they proved to be controversial. South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service, Alcock v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police, White v Chief Constable of the South Yorkshire Police, Champions League quarter-finals return leg, Coverage of the Hillsborough disaster by The Sun, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, List of disasters in Great Britain and Ireland by death toll, "Five Hillsborough myths dispelled by inquests jury", "1989: Football fans crushed at Hillsborough", "Liverpool fan's death ruled as 97th of Hillsborough disaster", "Hillsborough Disaster: From tragedy to truth", "The legacy of Hillsborough how football has changed", "Out of the ashes of Hillsborough, modern football was born", "High court quashes Hillsborough inquest verdicts", "Not 'justice' but full truth may finally be possible for Hillsborough victims", "Hillsborough papers: Cameron apology over 'double injustice', "Hillsborough disaster: David Cameron apologises for 'double injustice', "Hillsborough inquests jury rules 96 victims were unlawfully killed", "South Yorkshire police chief suspended after Hillsborough verdict", "The great betrayal: how the Hillsborough families were failed by the justice system", "Five Hillsborough Myths Dispelled by Inquests Jury", "Before Hillsborough fans were seen as terrace fodder. It entered the UK Singles Chart at number 1 on 20May, and remained at the top of the chart for three weeks. She unsuccessfully appealed to the European Court of Human Rights in 2009. Liverpool supporters were allocated the North and West ends (Leppings Lane), holding 24,256 fans, reached by 23 turnstiles from a narrow concourse. The anniversary was also marked by a minute's silence at the weekend's league games and FA Cup semi-finals. [179], On 12 July 2013, it was reported that the IPCC had found that in addition to the now 164 police statements known to have been altered, a further 55 police officers had changed their statements. On 12 September 2012, it published its report and simultaneously launched a website containing 450,000 pages of material[116] collated from 85 organisations and individuals[117] over two years. [46]:142 Directed by Daniel Gordon and co-produced with the BBC, the two-hour film chronicles the disaster, the investigations, and their lingering effects; it also includes interviews with survivors, victims' relatives, police officers and investigators. [43] Chief Superintendent John Nesbit of South Yorkshire Police later briefed Michael Shersby MP that leaving the rescue to the fans was a deliberate strategy, and is quoted as saying "We let the fans help so that they would not take out their frustration on the police" at a Police Federation conference. Hooliganism had affected the sport for some years and was particularly virulent in England. However, MacKenzie did not accept any personal responsibility for the story. Ofcom also received 177 complaints. Topman stated that the T-shirt was in reference to a Bob Marley song re-released in 1996 and apologised and withdrew the item. [31] The first planning meeting for the semi-final took place on 22 March and was attended by newly promoted Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield, not by Mole. 14 in the UK charts.[229]. Well, if you look at the Liverpool end, to the right of the goal, there's hardly anybody on those stepsthat's it. 's captain. They will have to answer 14 key questions about the disaster . He dismissed the claim by senior police officers that they had no reason to anticipate problems, since congestion had occurred at both the 1987 and 1988 semi-finals. [320], In 1994 Roger Cook led an investigation into the Hillsborough disaster in a series 9 edition of The Cook Report entitled "Kevin's Mum". In 1999, Anfield was packed with a crowd of around 10,000 people ten years after the disaster. The film was aired for the first time in 1996, and has been shown four times since then: in 1998, in 2009, in September 2012 (shortly after the release of the findings of the Hillsborough Independent Panel), and again on 1May 2016 on ITV. A terrible crowd crush claimed the lives of 96 innocen. Fans outside could hear cheering as the teams came on the pitch ten minutes before the match started, and as the match kicked off, but could not gain entrance.
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