Hillsborough 15th April 1989

Finally all the documents have been released for public scrutiny under the 25 year rule so, as Emperor Claudius said in "I Claudius", "Let all the poisons that lurk in the mud, hatch out".

I decided to do a little research on the event, specifically about the 3.15 cut off which meant was the coroner would not hear any evidence after 3.15 p.m. on the day on the day of the disaster, despite some reports that there were victims still living after that point.

I found this website that reports the entire event and aftermath in great detail and which is a great eye opener! Jeepers, what those poor relatives and survivors have been through all these years. Heart breaking. I sincerely hope the truth will come out now, the suppression of evidence and editing of statements and police reports will come out and those responsible brought to book.

If you want to know the truth, do read "Hillsborough Football Disaster". It's a long read but worth it if you value truth.

 

There are policmen who should hang their heads in shame. Not for causing the accident, because that's what it was. But for not being big enough to hold their hands up and admitting it was a mistake to open the gates and say that they were sorry.
Shameful.

 

The police said today that the behaviour of the fans made their job much more difficult, looking at the film of the event this was true!! Whether the gates were open or not, had the fans behaved in an orderly fashion the outcome could have been so much different.
The families say that the fans were blameless, again seeing the film you can see for yourself that this is not the case!!
Insisting on blaming someone now is IMO pointless, no-one would have wished the Hillsborough disaster to happen, but accidents happen, I think they should let it rest.

Val

 

So what about the emphasis on the blood alcohol level at the inquests which was, apparently, the first thing read out, even for a 10 year old boy! You think that was excusable in this 'accident'? What about the lack of marshalling, just allowing the crowds to cram into one pen and not being alert to the dangers? What about policemen, standing in front of people going blue in the face and vomiting through the railings they were pressed against, while pushing escaping fans BACK into the pen regardless? You think all this was an 'accident'? Perhaps there were some fans who were out of control but that didn't excuse the people in charge from ignoring dying people, being deaf to the pleas of ordinary, law abiding people for help and rescue. Read the site, Gemini, before you dismiss the agony of the relatives and survivors so lightly. The whole thing was a calumny of bad management and disorganised, heartless reactions from start to finish. It was no accident. Not in any way shape or form. It was always a disaster waiting to happen.

 

Absolutely nobody would have wished this disaster to happen so who should take the 'blame'? and if they find someone to point the finger at what on earth will be gained from that?! The fans became out of control and the police didn't take control........!! who are you going to blame??

Val

 

OK, there was some kind of cover up.
Granted.

But, its was back in the days of football hooligans, most of the time the police were just trying to control the element in the crowd that were just out to cause trouble.
How many times do we get this kind of "modern" view of something that happened years ago, and get an unrealistic idea of how things were on the day.

Dare I mention "Bloody Sunday"

 

Gemini And Pete - I have to say I'm deeply offended and appalled by your ignorant comments, Seriously, how much more evidence do you want ? If the police and other emergency services had done their jobs to the best of their ability, why would they have doctor their statements?

 

Pete - you compare the attendance of families to a football match who end up losing their lives in crush injuries because of mis-management the authorities to populate a football stand to Bloody Sunday???!!!!

Children died in this event, this wasn't some drunken rampage at 2.00am , this was a normal weekend football match. Why am I still defending my fellow men after all that has been revealed in the last few days? I truly despair :-(

 

Unfortunately Yvonne there are far too many people who are still willing to believe the lies perpetrated by the police. You need only read the accounts of the survivors from that day to understand how the crush occurred and I am relieved that they have been publicly exonerated and hope this helps ease their pain.

There had been 'incidents' of crushing at Hillsborough previous to 1989 and despite them, the fact that the ground had no safety certificate and Liverpool FC requesting the larger end of the ground, the match went ahead with the dire consequences we now fully understand.

I also recommend anyone who wants to know the truth to read http://www.contrast.org/hillsborough/history/buildup1.shtm or to watch Jimmy McGovern's excellent drama 'Hillsborough' which airs tonight at 12.05pm on ITV3.

It is a shame that one of the few posts I have made here is to yet again defend 96 innocent men, women and children who went to a football match and never came home.

 

I too am amazed that people still support the "establishment" even though now it has been proven beyond doubt that the West Yorkshire Police falsified 100's of statements , and you ask who is there to blame ! Astonishing
The west yorkshire police should be thoroughly taken apart punished to the full extent of the law and then rebuilt . So we have a force that protects and supports the people.
I am not cop bashing , was out last night with a couple of my friends who are police officers , and they do not have a good word for the west yorkshire lot .

 

I think there is a culture in this country inside the police force to watch each others backs no matter what, even if that means covering up for each other when a police officer has made a serious mistake causing death and it is still like that now. Take for example Ian Tomlinson, killed by a police officer in an unprovoked attack and despite the fact that the entire thing was caught on camera and there was who knows how many witnesses, out off about 20 police officers that watched that happen only ONE of them reported the inccident to a senior officer, and the guy has still got away with it. How? Because luckily for the the copper involved Ian was an alcoholic so you can just blame it on his dodgy liver! The police think that when they are on duty the are above the law and lets face it, they are arnt they!! Hillsborough is a shamefull cover up!!!!
And that copper that was on the news last night that has been suspended who is saying he has done newt wrong has GUILT written all over his face!

 

This is a poem written by poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy

THE Cathedral bell, tolled, could never tell;
nor the Liver Birds, mute in their stone spell;
or the Mersey, though seagulls wailed, cursed, overhead,
in no language for the slandered dead...
not the raw, red throat of the Kop, keening,
or the cops’ words, censored of meaning;
not the clock, slow handclapping the coroner’s deadline,
or the memo to Thatcher, or the tabloid headline...
but fathers told of their daughters; the names of sons
on the lips of their mothers like prayers; lost ones
honoured for bitter years by orphan, cousin, wife -
not a matter of football, but of life.
Over this great city, light after long dark;
truth, the sweet silver song of the lark.

 

I remember the news of the incident when it happened. It was awful. All these years later, the details are finally emerging as they should. The police may be getting done, both as an organisation, and as individuals within that were involved at the time.

I always worry when highly emotive subjects get discussed on an open forum while the legal process is still underway, because I worry that any court hearings may be skewed by public opinion of those that weren't even there.

 

I think John is right , this forum is not the correct place . Admin ?