Crowd crush at Lille

[kinboshi]

Shocking and terrifying scenes last night when it appeared as though a Hillsborough-like situation was occuring for the Man U fans at Lille.

The reaction from the French police was shocking, and I hope that UEFA/FIFA ensure that this sort of thing NEVER happens again.

I'm just glad that no one was seriously injured.  We all know how much worse it could have been...

[kinboshi]

Short video clip (reminds me very much of Leppings Lane).

http://www.dailymotion.com/bobrivers/video/2121382

[AndrewT]

Looks like Man Utd fans who couldn't get tickets for the away end had bought them on the black market for the Lille sections, and then didn't actually fancy sitting in those seats, so attempted to force their way into the away end. The people at the gate let them through, fearful of trouble outside if they tried to stop them, and so a crush developed against the metal cage inside the stadium.

Meanwhile, the police inside (who didn't know about the extra fans) saw the agitation, thought it was rioting and so fired tear gas.

So, exactly like Hillsborough - officials in one part of the ground not talking to officials in other parts. Though the Man Utd fans without the proper tickets have to bear a lot of the blame.

[kinboshi]

Looks like Man Utd fans who couldn't get tickets for the away end had bought them on the black market for the Lille sections, and then didn't actually fancy sitting in those seats, so attempted to force their way into the away end. The people at the gate let them through, fearful of trouble outside if they tried to stop them, and so a crush developed against the metal cage inside the stadium.

Meanwhile, the police inside (who didn't know about the extra fans) saw the agitation, thought it was rioting and so fired tear gas.

So, exactly like Hillsborough - officials in one part of the ground not talking to officials in other parts. Though the Man Utd fans without the proper tickets have to bear a lot of the blame.

Fans without proper tickets shouldn't be allowed near the gates.  They certainly shouldn't let them into the ground.  Delay the start of the game, have more people working on the gates, remove the bloody fences, just don't fire tear gas at people being crushed.

Yes, some fans might have bought the wrong tickets.  They shouldn't be allowed in.  The ones at the front being crushed and having tear gas fired at them weren't doing anything wrong.

The fences have to go.

[AndrewT]

Fans without proper tickets shouldn't be allowed near the gates.  They certainly shouldn't let them into the ground.  Delay the start of the game, have more people working on the gates, remove the bloody fences, just don't fire tear gas at people being crushed.

Yes, some fans might have bought the wrong tickets.  They shouldn't be allowed in.  The ones at the front being crushed and having tear gas fired at them weren't doing anything wrong.

The fences have to go.

Of course the fences have to go - they are relics from an ancient era. And of course people without proper tickets shouldn't be allowed in. But the Man Utd fans who got in without the proper tickets are far more aware of what happened at Hillsborough than the staff at Lens. They should have been able to guess at what would happen to the fans at the front if they force their way into a section which is already full.

It's interesting to note that the stadium is actually all-seater - for a crush to develop at the front of an all-seater section means that a lot of extra fans forced their way in.

[Rod Paradise]

I've heard reports that the French Police were sending Man U fans with tickets for other sections into the Man U end. I quite believe it after being sent in with the home fans at a game in France because I'd swapped shirts with a Bordeaux fan in the bar, even though I'd a Celtic end ticket.

Moved back in with my own support when my girlfriend and I unfurled a Celtic Supporter's Club banner - 4 armed cops in in a hurry - the Bordeuax fans were shaking my hand and laughing thankfully.

[Bazzaboy]

I've heard reports that the French Police were sending Man U fans with tickets for other sections into the Man U end. I quite believe it after being sent in with the home fans at a game in France because I'd swapped shirts with a Bordeaux fan in the bar, even though I'd a Celtic end ticket.

Moved back in with my own support when my girlfriend and I unfurled a Celtic Supporter's Club banner - 4 armed cops in in a hurry - the Bordeuax fans were shaking my hand and laughing thankfully.

Similar thing happened when I was in Stuttgart, where the police and officials were sending Rangers fans that had tickets for the home section into the Rangers end.  The end was jam-packed and still they were sending fans in in their droves, even heard reports that guys without tickets were being sheperded in as the police didn't want anyone hanging around outside the ground.