French Police Apology for the European Cup Final is a Joke

Some Random Bloke

General

09 Jun 22

Some Random Bloke

Joined: 03 Apr 19
Moves: 25268

09 Jun 22

-5

Unbelievable. Just heard the French police issue an apology for the European Cup Final only to add, but it was necessary due to 40,000 fake tickets and rioting! These are total lies. Can't believe we are going through this all over again after the unprovoked tear gassing and pepper spraying of children and families following a crush entirely of the authorities making. At first the delayed kick off was blamed on the late arrival of fans and the story only changed from those lies when fans' video started appearing on social media.

Thankfully we got in the ground early, before it got bad. Nonetheless we were penned in under a flyover by local police for two hours while local gangs squeezed between us. Seemingly they were holding us there until just three stewards were ready to perform ticket checks. We were there about four hours early and you could already tell they could not possibly get everybody through that system for kick off. Crazy. I thought the local kids were just waiting for it to get nasty so they could join in. It was only 90 minutes to kick off by the time we were through. As far as I know this was one of only two routes to the ground from the centre of Paris, but the plan was just three stewards?!?

We approached from the local station at about 3.5-4 hours before kick off. Squeezed through an overcrowded under pass, under a duel carriage way so no turning back was possible. We were then penned shoulder to shoulder under a flyover in St Denis, by the French Police, while local gangs mingled. The way out was blocked by four police vans so nowhere to go as more fans arrived.

Once we were finally let through there was another crush/queue for what appeared like just 3 stewards making cursory glances at tickets and marking on back with a pen. Already some fans were trying to climb over fences, to get out of the crush for their own safety. We were some of the first through to the ground so it was clearly going to get worse and go wrong for those still to come.

No way would all the fans make it through that bottle neck for the start of the match, it had taken us about two hours to get through. It was this complete mismanagement of the event that caused the chaos that followed and nothing else.

It was already tense when we were there and obviously going to turn nasty at the point where people realised they would miss the match, which I thought was the moment the local gangs were waiting for too. Our group got through calmly and safely, but social media shows later groups being attacked and robbed by the local kids and then attacked by the police under the claim that they were managing fans' behaviour as the fans tried to escape the crush. Incredibly we saw the fans being penned again on our way out, but we pulled back and found a different way to get away. So glad we did as it looked like it all started again on the way out from what I've seen on social media with fans being attacked and robbed in the crush.

Sure I've given evidence to LFC, but if this is going to be resolved by blatant lies from the French police I just can't accept it or leave it there. The true story of incompetent policing needs to be told early this time.

divegeester

watching in dismay

STARMERGEDDON

Joined: 16 Feb 08
Moves: 120562

14 Jun 22

-4

🎵You’ll never squawk alone 🎶

mchill

Cryptic

Behind the scenes

Joined: 27 Jun 16
Moves: 3283

14 Jun 22

-2

@relentless-red said
Unbelievable. Just heard the French police issue an apology for the European Cup Final only to add, but it was necessary due to 40,000 fake tickets and rioting! These are total lies. Can't believe we are going through this all over again after the unprovoked tear gassing and pepper spraying of children and families following a crush entirely of the authorities making. ...[text shortened]... ccept it or leave it there. The true story of incompetent policing needs to be told early this time.

I'm sorry for the problems you faced. Maybe it's time to start watching it on TV or some streaming service...

~~Removed~~

Joined: 09 Sep 18
Moves: 20590

14 Jun 22

-1

@relentless-red said
Unbelievable. Just heard the French police issue an apology for the European Cup Final only to add, but it was necessary due to 40,000 fake tickets and rioting! These are total lies. Can't believe we are going through this all over again after the unprovoked tear gassing and pepper spraying of children and families following a crush entirely of the authorities making. ...[text shortened]... ccept it or leave it there. The true story of incompetent policing needs to be told early this time.

I hate the French(only english mustard for me)

divegeester