Police over reaction at end of today's game

[dave.woodhall]

Give a 'man' a uniform ...

The word 'PROPORTIONATE' would be lost on them Brian, 'PROPORTIONATE' is probably 6 coppers holding him down , 4 frisking him for offensive 'weapons' - cigarettes in this case - and another 6 beating him to a pulp for offending a Stadium Rule.

Mad days.

 

Which isn't happening in that clip, so please, stick to the facts.

[brian green]

In future I am going to carry cards on me with my contact number and the very next time I see a Villa fan being treated worse than an animal for some minor infringement of the law I shall get a card to the victim of excessive force and bring a private prosecution against whoever was responsible for it.   I have had enough of this one law for football fans and another for everybody else.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't like to see overreaction anywhere, but let's be honest, sparking up when you're quite clearly not supposed to do so is a bit dimwitted.

The only place I've ever seen people flouting the smoking ban is at football matches. It's like people thnk it's ok because of the circumstances.

[Risso]

What exactly happened to him?

[brian green]

Dave, as I and my son have said the violence against L**  ********* occurred prior to that clip.   The clip shows the number of stewards and police involved.   I was an eye witness to the violence so was my son and so were dozens of Villa fans who were if anything more angry than I was.

[villajk]

There was an incident, start of second half, youngster walks into stand with beer in hand.  We noticed it, minutes later steward came in took said youth out.  No problem, no big deal. That is what should have happened with smoker.

[dave.woodhall]

Dave, as I and my son have said the violence against Lee Bannerjee occurred prior to that clip.   The clip shows the number of stewards and police involved.   I was an eye witness to the violence so was my son and so were dozens of Villa fans who were if anything more angry than I was.

The trouble is that the clip only shows what it shows, which isn't violence. I didn't see what happened, but phrases like "beating him to a pulp" don;t do any future action any good. 

[LupoldMox]

And nobody here is defending smoking. We're just trying to stick up for each other.

[Risso]

What happened when he first started smoking in the stand?  Did another fan complain, did the stewards/police ask him not to, did he refuse/cause any trouble? 

[brian green]

I have never said he was beaten to a pulp nor has my son.   Tim was clearly hyperbolic in the way he described a purely imaginary scene.   If my word that the police and stewards massively overreacted is not good enough for you Dave, sobeit.

[dave.woodhall]

I have never said he was beaten to a pulp nor has my son.   Tim was clearly hyperbolic in the way he described a purely imaginary scene.   If my word that the police and stewards massively overreacted is not good enough for you Dave, sobeit.

Tim used the phrase. I believe you without a second's hesitation, but as you know, when making a complaint proof has to be overwhelming.

[Risso]

I have never said he was beaten to a pulp nor has my son.   Tim was clearly hyperbolic in the way he described a purely imaginary scene.   If my word that the police and stewards massively overreacted is not good enough for you Dave, sobeit.

You said they "gave him a right pasting".

[brian green]

Riss, the man was spotted by a steward lighting a cigarette at the end of the game.   Two or three stewards came flying though us to get at him knocking me and several others arse over tip barging through the seats.

More stewards followed and then police.   He did not fight, he was not drunk, he was not foul mouthed or abusive.

I honestly cannot believe that we now are in times when Villa fans will not stick up for their own kind and the consensus of opinion is that he broke the law so he got what was coming to him.

I do not smoke but it is quite clear to me that smokers and smoking have become demonized and a combination of  the evils of smoking tobacco, being a football fan and not coming from London are all the justification needed to become a non citizen without rights of any kind.

[Risso]

Riss, the man was spotted by a steward lighting a cigarette at the end of the game.   Two or three stewards came flying though us to get at him knocking me and several others arse over tip barging through the seats.

More stewards followed and then police.   He did not fight, he was not drunk, he was not foul mouthed or abusive.

I honestly cannot believe that we now are in times when Villa fans will not stick up for their own kind and the consensus of opinion is that he broke the law so he got what was coming to him.

I do not smoke but it is quite clear to me that smokers and smoking have become demonized and a combination of  the evils of smoking tobacco, being a football fan and not coming from London are all the justification needed to become a non citizen without rights of any kind.

I haven't come down on one side or the other brian, was just interested in a bit of clarification as the facts seemed a bit hazy and weren't cleared up by a video of the aftermath.

[LupoldMox]

I didn't post the clip asking for future action or to make an official police complaint. I posted to ask if anyone knew if the guy got home OK. It was the end of the game, we were all pissed off, and the last thing you want to see is a fellow Villa fan getting dragged off in handcuffs (which he "overwhelmingly" was)