Bullied?

[Simi]

After reading some of the below stories from Standupsitdown, it's clear to see that the Police can and will do as they please during football matches.

The first two quotes come from a match between Man City and Boro at the Riverside.

You may remember the problems with the City fans (largely caused by police and stewards) during their away fixture against Boro at the end of last season. At that game two Man City supporters were arrested, supposedly becausey they'd told a camera man that they were going to smash his equipment.

They had a hearing at a magistrates court a few weeks ago at which they pleaded not guilty, their second Court date was set for August.

One of them rang me earlier in the week to advise that all charges had been dropped. The three statements by police didn't match, the camera man not only didn't make a complaint but also didn't provide a statement.

The whole saga started because Boro's deputy safety officer told the police he'd heard two fans threatening to cause damage to the camera man's equipment. Despite one of the two arrested for this supposed crime being over six foot and with ginger hair, not once was this mentioned by anybody....

On the same day they were in court they met up with more City supporters who had been charged under Section 5. Their crime?

They'd hired a mini bus to drive to the game and were pulled over by police en route for searching at the police had "serious intelligence that the City fans were going to cause trouble". The van was searched and an empty beer can found, result? They were arrested and charged.

This quote is from the Daily Mail, once again Police bullying football fans.

Chelsea fan Cliff Auger was in hospital for a week and off work for two months with four broken ribs and a punctured lung after being attacked by police following the FA Cup tie against QPR. The assault happened when he kicked a police Alsatian dog that had its mouth clamped around his son's leg. Scandalously, Augur now faces a charge of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

Cliff's lad and his mate (both in their early teens) needed to 'use the facilities' so they nipped into nearby local pub - just before the police did a lock down for no apparent reason. Batons and dogs are nothing unusual these days - and their use doesn't necessarily imply good reason anymore.

Wrong place, wrong time as far as Cliff and his lad were concerned and the rest of the story follows from that.

Cliff is about 5ft 8", quite slightly built and in his late 40's.

After he kicked the dog that was biting his son Cliff was pinned down by four policemen, had his windpipe crushed with a knee (totally illegal and potentially fatal), suffered four broken ribs and his lung collapsed.

After his arrest he was left in a cell by himself for some hours before his requests for medical assistance were finally responded to.

Some of these issues may not be of concern to some of you. But after being involved in the Sheffield United fiasco with the police, it really gets on my tits when football fans are victimised by the police and treated like criminals on sight.

Has anyone here ever had any dealings with the police when they'd done no wrong? Or got caught up in something?

[Bryn]

And the fact is, there's hardly any trouble at games these days anyway. The only trouble you get is between fans and police.

[Simi]

And the fact is, there's hardly any trouble at games these days anyway. The only trouble you get is between fans and police.

Yeah you're right. Well, in England anyway.

You hardly ever hear clubs clashing now, but fans with Police. Two examples above and there have been others as well.

[Guest]

We got involved in a court case where a guy was arrested for the crime of celebrating a goal. Needless to say, common sense prevailed with the magistrates, but had this guy been convicted, he would have lost his career, nevermind his job.

The problem in that situation was the arresting officer had no experience of football matches or the fans, except for one instance where he was called in as back up to a brawl in a pub. The worst thing was, he was the most senior office in the ground that day!

[Simi]

We got involved in a court case where a guy was arrested for the crime of celebrating a goal. Needless to say, common sense prevailed with the magistrates, but had this guy been convicted, he would have lost his career, nevermind his job.

The problem in that situation was the arresting officer had no experience of football matches or the fans, except for one instance where he was called in as back up to a brawl in a pub. The worst thing was, he was the most senior office in the ground that day!

The second bit is interesting. However, not surprising. Police are finding it incredibly easy to now to charge extortionate prices for their services as they are required for match to go ahead. This is bound to lead to similar scenarios to what you witnessed.

They'll continue to get away with this bullying until they do realise what some of the conventions of a football match are!

[davieG]

If I was cynical I'd say a lot of it was verging on the pre-meditated because they need to justify their presence in order to rake in what the cash.

I was on a management course at DeMontfort some time ago and there were several cops on the course - they loved it when there was a match on as it enabled them to flex their muscles and get some decent overtime in - Oh and they mostly hated football.

[Simi]

If I was cynical I'd say a lot of it was verging on the pre-meditated because they need to justify their presence in order to rake in what the cash.

I was on a management course at DeMontfort some time ago and there were several cops on the course - they loved it when there was a match on as it enabled them to flex their muscles and get some decent overtime in - Oh and they mostly hated football.

IF you were cynical? :laugh:

Yeah, you're right. I'd say a wide percentage of it is pre-meditated, they have certain figures to meet to justify the money, like a lot of jobs do. Sadly, authorites will struggle to accept that trouble has decreased.

I guess for some of them it's the only action they're likely to encounter on the job! Obviously the stereotype of the common working class football man is that he is a hooligan so when it's their word against yours in court, you'll be fighting a losing battle.

[C-man]

Two years ago me and my mate were thrown out of the Coventry home game. We were standing at the top of N block and were 1-0 down at the time. The Cov fans to the left were giving it large and whenever we started a chant coins were thrown at us so we made a few gestures. The steward next to us didn't give us any sort of warning and within 2 minutes of making the gesture, 9 or 10 coppers came to escort me and my mate out. Talk about unncessary!

I know I was in the wrong by gesturing and I was in the family stand, but how many people gesture and nothing is done? I was banned for 3 games by the club and 2 months later I was summoned to court. My solicitor cost around £500 and because it was adjourned twice I missed 3 days of school just before some January GCSE exams.

I still believe the police overreacted with me and in those cases you've quoted Ched it's just more examples of over-zealous policing.

[Maybes]

The police are too heavy handed at football games.

There is no need for them to be filming you on camera as all this does is antogonise fans and add fuel to the fire.

They used to be called a police service, who endered to serve the community in the best way they could. Nowadays they are known as the police FORCE, says it all to me.

[Sods]

It is getting ridiculous.

I remember being in L1 a couple of year back now. It was the season we lost 1-0 to Forest at home. And for that season they really tried to cut down on people standing their and a few shouts of abuse to the away fans. The police would stand and just watch the Leicester fans, whilst the away fans would be doing what they wanted behind. I never had a problem with any steward in L1 it was the police. For that particular Forest game i don't think ive seen that many arrests before in a football game in Leicester. Every couple of minutes in the first half, it was just disgusting. I could understand if there was something awful going on. It was a derby game, fans would exchange words!

[Corky]

I hate the perception of football fans that non-football fans have. We are all thugs, all trouble-makers who get drunk and want a punch-up. It could not be further from the truth. 23,000 people on average attend our home matches, and out of that 23,000, there will be a few looking for trouble but the rest watch the match and support the team.

The Police have a far too heavy-handed approach.

[Tommeh]

they are an utter disgrace.

Sheff United was possibly the biggest joke I've ever experienced, bottles thrown at us from over a wall and suddenly it's our fault.

That was the taster then at Barnsley they made sure we wern't allowed anywhere, train station to ground and at Oakwell for 1:15 ish!

I'd love to see some of the videos the police take of us and how I look in them! People bang on about stewards in football and sure they are annoying for some clubs but for us? Every week ours let 600 odd stand every game in L1 and more in K, many parts of the Kop now and any away fans that wish to and even at aways the only game I've been made to sit has been plymouth. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I've had much more aggro at footie matches form the police than stewards and its stewards who are usually targeted.

At Sheff united we were made to walk with our fans which wasn't a problem but were then made to walk into the train station when I made it quite clear me and my mate wern't on the train. About 5 minutes later we were fianlly allowed to find my car having taken a huge de-tour round Sheffield.

[AmericanScott]

It's disgusting how the police treat football fans.

I read that quote in the OP about the Chelsea fan kicking the police dog who had it's jaw locked onto his son's leg.

What was he supposed to do in that situation?

"sorry i didn't save you son and now you can't walk ever again and it's my fault"

I would've done the same to the fooking mutt but worse.

[Floating Fox]

It's disgusting how the police treat football fans.

I read that quote in the OP about the Chelsea fan kicking the police dog who had it's jaw locked onto his son's leg.

What was he supposed to do in that situation?

"sorry i didn't save you son and now you can't walk ever again and it's my fault"

I would've done the same to the fooking mutt but worse.

Aye, that one grates me really badly, espcially how he's getting done for it now too.

[Simi]

Two years ago me and my mate were thrown out of the Coventry home game. We were standing at the top of N block and were 1-0 down at the time. The Cov fans to the left were giving it large and whenever we started a chant coins were thrown at us so we made a few gestures. The steward next to us didn't give us any sort of warning and within 2 minutes of making the gesture, 9 or 10 coppers came to escort me and my mate out. Talk about unncessary!

I know I was in the wrong by gesturing and I was in the family stand, but how many people gesture and nothing is done? I was banned for 3 games by the club and 2 months later I was summoned to court. My solicitor cost around £500 and because it was adjourned twice I missed 3 days of school just before some January GCSE exams.

I still believe the police overreacted with me and in those cases you've quoted Ched it's just more examples of over-zealous policing.

Didn't know you got kicked out of N Block mate?

[C-man]

Didn't know you got kicked out of N Block mate?

It was before the singing N Block started, I think it was October 2005ish when I had my season ticket in there.