Police over reaction at end of today's game

[Rudy Can't Fail]

It only went calm like that when they saw we were filming them.   They gave him a right pasting.   He called to me.  "I can't go with them they are all pulling me in different directions".   It was absolutely disgraceful.   I am not anti police I AM totally anti football fans being treated like scum with no rights or protection from those charged with upholding the law.

It does make you think what goes through their heads, why they seem it necessary to wade in when the incident could have been resolved quickly and peacefully. Though much has changed for the better in policing since the 70's and 80's, football matches see a different mentality. As for the stewarding, I couldn't help but laugh at the jobsworth in the tie asking your son to stop filming.

Well done to you both for standing up to them. Your behavior should be applauded by all. I'd hate to think but I can guess how my kids would have reacted if they'd been in the same situation as those children around you when the police and stewards decided to step in.

[Phil from the upper holte]

Police turned a blind eye at Wolves last week! The bog was full of smoke shame they didn't come in they would have seen young lads snorting coke

[itbrvilla]

To put it into perspective-  The guy who I had ejected was escorted by 2 stewards to police and probably kicked out, so was probably treated better for incredibly offensive racist, homophobic, violent, threatening behaviour than a fellow fan who stupidly sparked up a fag.  Bonkers!!!

[Rico]

Over reaction. Yes! But how long has the smoking ban been in place?

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Over reaction. Yes! But how long has the smoking ban been in place?

Not as long as the no standing law.

Nobody is claiming he shouldn't have been smoking or that the stewards/police had the right to throw him out or arrest him. It was the manner in which they did it which is the issue.

[Windsor Boy]

I saw this happening, and you could see that some of the stewards were very heavy handed.  I was in the aisle trying to get out of the ground when the stewards and police were dragging the bloke away to the barrier between us and the Arse fans.  I just wanted to get out of the ground but there was nowhere to go as it was so congested.  One of the Stewards barged in to us, pushing me and my mate in to the people in front of us, including a couple of kids who could've been no older than 6.  After apologising to the kid's dad for bumping in to his little uns I turned and told the stewards to "calm down, there's kids about".  In response I was told to F*** off or you'll be next by one of them!  This made quite a few people around me react, most of them trying to point out that there were kids about, but the one steward in particular became very aggressive and his language was appalling.  I wish I'd just asked this guy for his name so I could report him, but I just told the bloke that he was an idiot and returned to trying to get out the ground.  In fairness a much younger steward then came and apologised to us for his colleagues behaviour and said he'd calm him down.  As it was the queue out of the ground started to move then and people started to leave but that was a situation that was unnecessary and could've escalated.

[Small Rodent]

Everybody who witnessed this, plus those pushed and abused by stewards should write to Arsenal about it. And if nothings done write on their messageboards, WSC etc.

[pbsmith]

i'm generally sympathetic with the police, but that looks outrageous. there was a headline recently saying public safety was at risk because there are now 6000 less police in the force than last year - but there's always dozens of em about to deal with nonsense like this. Or to stand there pointing video cameras at a load of lads stood watching the game. And as for those orange jacketed, head phone wearing idiots - don't get me started. fair enough the lad shouldn't be smoking but why didn't one steward just tell him to put it out

[Percy McCarthy]

itbrvilla was right about the violent, threatening, racist homophobe he had thrown out - he was treated better than the errant smoker. After he was ejected he was invited to the station to fill in an application form.

[Somniloquism]

i'm generally sympathetic with the police, but that looks outrageous. there was a headline recently saying public safety was at risk because there are now 6000 less police in the force than last year - but there's always dozens of em about to deal with nonsense like this. Or to stand there pointing video cameras at a load of lads stood watching the game. And as for those orange jacketed, head phone wearing idiots - don't get me started. fair enough the lad shouldn't be smoking but why didn't one steward just tell him to put it out

The force gets paid by the club to lay on coppers for a footy match. So they need to justify the pay in some way otherwise the clubs might decide they don't need as many / them at all.

[Ads]

I went to Deportiva La Coruna a few years back and got battered by a copper (along with other Villa fans) with his truncheon as he was trying to move the crowd forward and couldn't/wouldn't speak English and I couldn't understand his Spanish. That was an over reaction!

I have got a photo of someone with some bruises on the shoulder from that game.
We were standing at the back of that stand when they came steaming in for no reason at all. Mind you, it is expected in countries like that.

   

Madrid was the worse for over reactions. One chap suffered a fractured skull.

[brian green]

My son and I were very angry last night.   We have both calmed down now.   I shall say nothing more about it but one final comment.

Suppose that lad they piled into and stood on and squashed and heaved every which way had been an epileptic, or had a heart condition or had recently had major surgery or was a chronic asthmatic or had osteoporosis or any one of a hundred conditions which made him vulnerable to physical violence?

They asked no questions, their punishment was instant.   Wallop.

[Percy McCarthy]

Exactly. Well said Brian.

[Risso]

My son and I were very angry last night.   We have both calmed down now.   I shall say nothing more about it but one final comment.

Suppose that lad they piled into and stood on and squashed and heaved every which way had been an epileptic, or had a heart condition or had recently had major surgery or was a chronic asthmatic or had osteoporosis or any one of a hundred conditions which made him vulnerable to physical violence?

They asked no questions, their punishment was instant.   Wallop.

Then that's completely out of order.  I hope you can see that a few of us were just trying to find out a bit more info last night Brian, and weren't siding with the stewards/police.

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

My son and I were very angry last night.   We have both calmed down now.   I shall say nothing more about it but one final comment.

Suppose that lad they piled into and stood on and squashed and heaved every which way had been an epileptic, or had a heart condition or had recently had major surgery or was a chronic asthmatic or had osteoporosis or any one of a hundred conditions which made him vulnerable to physical violence?

They asked no questions, their punishment was instant.   Wallop.

Then that's completely out of order.  I hope you can see that a few of us were just trying to find out a bit more info last night Brian, and weren't siding with the stewards/police.

Then he'd be even more stupid for going to a football match, and even more for smoking. ;-)