| Hateland -
Articles |
04/05/02
- It was sheer hell
By GARY JONES and GINNY SANDRINGHAM
Daily Mirror
POLICE may sue Millwall soccer club and stop patrolling
its games after 900 fans went on a rampage of "sheer
hell". In disgraceful violence recalling the worst
days of soccer hooliganism, officers were pelted for
more than an hour with paving stones, bricks, flares
and thunderflashes.
Two cars were set on fire and a children's playground
trashed for ammunition. Forty seven officers were hurt
with nine needing hospital treatment for injuries including
broken limbs. One officer hit by flying concrete needed
seven stitches in his face. Twenty six of 34 horses
on duty were also hurt.
Seven people were arrested. Yesterday Chief Superintendent
Mike Humphrey, who led 250 police against the thugs,
said his officers could have been killed. He also said
they saved the lives of rival Birmingham City supporters
unaware of the danger they were in. He said: "There
could have been a fatality.
We weren't prepared for the ferocity and viciousness
of the attack. It was far beyond anything we imagined.
We believe it was premeditated "The hooligans were
there to cause as much injury as they could. It was
absolutely disgraceful. This was not a normal incident.
This was toe-to-toe fighting and they weren't running
away.
The fans were furious and ready to strike. It was sheer
hell. "Millwall has always been a difficult club
but last night It disgraced itself." The chief
superintendent revealed that as officers fought with
the jeering hooligans others led Birmingham City fans
to safety. He said: "There was a small hooligan
element among the City fans. Some were itching to get
involved.
"They didn't realise how serious it was. I don't
think they appreciated we were trying to save their
lives. Thanks to my officers they got away safely."
In an unprecedented move police now plan to sue the
South London club and the Football League for the cost
of policing the riot.
Outraged Deputy Commissioner lan Blair said yesterday:
"This was absolutely unacceptable. I'll be bringing
Millwall and the Football League into Scotland Yard
and shall take legal advice over whether it is appropriate
to seek compensation. "We had cars on fire, residents
hiding in desperate fear and officers with broken legs
and arms. Anybody should be asking what has gone on."
Last night officers who admit they cannot cope with
continuing violence at the troubled South London club
said Thursday's riot was the "last straw".
Scotland Yard is now threatening to withdraw policing
of matches - which costs hundreds of thousands of pounds
- unless the club clamps down on its hooligans.
Millwall police liaison officer Neil MacPherson tells
the forthcoming BBC series Hooligans: We don't have
the resources to do anything other than keep the lid
on it." Reg Burr, president of the club, said any
of the rioters who could be named would be banned from
the club for life.
He said: "We will do anything we can to identify
them and the appropriate action will be taken."
Club chairman Theo Paphitis said: "Once again,
the thuggish element has sullied the name of football
and Millwall and brought deep distress to our local
community. We express our sympathy to those police officers
and horses who were Injured."
The riot flared after Division One Millwall lost put
on the chance of promotion to the Premiership following
a last-minute goal from Birmingham City at the New Den
ground in Bermondsey on Thursday. For 70 minutes the
mob went berserk ripping paving stones from a nearby
children's playground to throw at mounted officers,
hurling anything else they could lay their hands on
and torching cars.
Missiles were thrown in volleys of up to 50 at a time.
So many officers were injured a field hospital had to
be set up in the club grounds where they were treated
by ambulance staff and the Millwall Club doctor Twenty-four
out of 36 mounted police were hurt and every member
of a 21-strong unit of Territorial Support Group. One
police horse, named Alamein. suffered serious injuries
when a thunderflash exploded beneath the eight-year-old
mount.
The frightened animal reared and came smashing down
through a car, severing an artery in its leg. It needed
life-saving treatment from specialist vets but should
make a full recovery. Two other injured horses, Taurus
and Zorba, were among those that took part in the Queen
Mother's funeral procession.
Mounted officer Sergeant Malcolm Gilbert - whose riding
helmet was severely damaged by a missile - suffered
knee, shoulder and head injuries. He said: "In
30 years service I've never experienced violence like
it." Sergeant Russell Lamb, whose face was stitched
after being hit by concrete, said: "It was a battlefield.
The scene was more like something from Bosnia."The
father of two said thugs laughed as his colleagues braved
the "ridiculous mindless violence".
A news photographer forced to take cover from bricks
raining down said: "I've covered wars and riots,
but I've seen nothing like this. Even a lamp post was
torn up." Terrified mum Michelle Thorpe, 35, escaped
from her car to the safety of a nearby house just seconds
before it was smashed by thugs armed with bricks.
Michelle. a Millwall supporter from nearby Rotherhithe,
said: "I'm lucky to be alive." Mirror photographer
Jim Bennett, a Millwall fan since the 50s, said: "These
mindless hooligans weren't interested in the football.
They just wanted to riot." As the battle raged
1,800 Birmingham supporters were kept in the stadium
for their own protection. It was an hour before they
could leave in safety.
Twenty one coaches containing the supporters were then
escorted from the area. Another 50 police in riot gear
escorted 200 Birmingham supporters into London Bridge
Underground station. Local Liberal Democrat MP Simon
Hughes said the violence was "unjustified, unprovoked
and totally unacceptable".
Mr Hughes went to the New Den after the local election
polls closed at 9pm to watch the last 30 minutes of
the game. He said: "I saw the violence, attacks
on the police and throwing of missiles just beginning
as I made my way through Bermondsey between 10 and 11pm.
Police have considerable video footage and expect to
make a large number of arrests.
"I hope that the police will use all evidence they
can to prosecute those responsible. The local community
deserves better than to wake up to a street scene that
looks more like Belfast in the bad old days than the
Bermondsey as everybody wants it today." Millwall
fans, who have a reputation for violence, have caused
trouble at several football grounds this season including
Burnley. Cardiff, and Nottingham Forest.
Despite improvement in the relationship between fans
and the police 140 supporters have been prosecuted this
season - including 60 for serious offences and 43 for
violent disorder. Secret film of Millwall thugs beating
up rival fans will be shown in the BBC2 Hooligans documentary
series.
Producer Tom Giles said undercover cameramen caught
the louts beating a rival to a "pulp". He
said: "It was particularly nasty and unnerving.
The idea that this violence has suddenly sprung up again
at Millwall is rubbish. "From pur experience of
filming both inside and outside the ground all season
I can say violence is endemic there.
Millwall is by far the worst for football hooliganism.
The police have no idea what to do about it." One
of the hour-long programmes will reveal how children
as young as 11 mix with older hooligans to wreak havoc
after games.
Mr Giles added: "I'm afraid what happened at Thursday
night's game was entirely predictable. There has been
violence all season. It's part of the culture at Millwall.
People who live near the ground are genuinely very scared."
g.jones@mirror.co.uk |
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