Hillsborough Police Cover Up Disgrace

Appreciate the role of hand-holder and all round good-egg comes naturally, but my question was to StuartB. 

I share the above view, but that doesn't mean I consider the police to be wholly responsible for events that day. Sheffield Wednesday, the emergency services, the FA - all share culpability.

StuartB says the issue of drunken and tickeletless Liverpool fans should be investigated, but this is a question already considered by the Hillsborough Independent Panel:



Wildebeeste points out that an FA Cup semi-final crowd is different to a crowd of 2,000. He's absolutely right. That's why the match should have been handled in a way that managed the risks and ensured that men, women and children in attendance were able to return home without being seriously injured or worse.

Consider the following scenario. A larger than expected crowd of New Years Eve revellers swarm towards Oxford Street underground station in the early hours. Drinks have been had and the crowd, like any late night crowd, is not the most receptive to instructions. But instead of the appropriate steps and contingency measures being in place to manage the crowds – adequate numbers of trained staff on hand, a full number of entry and exit points being open, procedures to keep people outside when capacity is exceeded inside - police and underground workers let everyone in. Capacity on the platforms is exceeded, 20 people end up on the track and an oncoming train causes several fatalities. A resulting stampede leads to scores more serious injuries. In the following days police and local politicians inform the media that the stampede and crush was caused by "drugged up and drunken teenagers fighting", there are reports of bystanders "pickpocketing and urinating on survivors" and members of the crowd "assaulting the emergency services". Statements from the police and London Underground staff are considered by the Coroner in reaching his verdicts.

25 years later, an independent report finds no evidence to substantiate any of the allegations reported after the event. It's revealed that the station manager ignored safety warnings and previous 'near-misses'. There was inadequate liaison between London Underground, police and emergency services. Operational mistakes were made by underground staff and police who were not properly briefed or trained. It's also revealed that hundreds of statements provided to the Coroner by the authorities were doctored. In short, nobody has been held to account for events that morning.

StuartB – do you think your tune would change if someone close to you was caught up in that?

Have you read the Hillsborough Independent Panel's report?

NO, and I don't intend to, that is the job of the official inquiry to take in all evidence. i don't have to prove or disprove anything.

Please don't turn this into a pointless argument or inflame a situation with head banging things.

All I'm saying (no head banging thingy) is that they need to look at EVERYTHING, like they should have done in the first place

I think it's fair to say the fact that people got crushed to death suggests not everyone was standing in a nice orderly queue. It is worth reminding people of that, though I would suggest that it's got to the point where if you say anything slightly derogatory about the actions of Liverpool fans on that day, many of them today go apeshit. But then again, many do that when you accuse their racist player of being racist so...

That being said, it should be quite clear that the main failings were that of the organisation, i.e. the police, the FA, the club etc. You get impatient fans and drunk fans at every football match but not only 1 in the last few decades here has ended up with 96 people dying