| Hateland -
Articles |
04/05/02
- Thugs maim 26 horses
By IAN HEPBURN
Crime Reporter
The Sun
SCOTLAND Yard threatened to sue Millwall football club
yesterday over the rampaging scum who left 47 cops injured
— and 26 police horses MAIMED. Chiefs consulted lawyers
about the unprecedented move after a night of shame by
900 rioting fans hurling bricks, bottles and fireworks.
One officer who was hit in the head by a lump of concrete
said: “The scene was like something from Bosnia.”
Thugs furious at Millwall losing out on Premiership promotion
turned their hate on police and their horses. They ripped
up a children’s playground near the club’s New
Den ground in Bermondsey, South East London — and
used the paving as ammo. One of the horses, Alamein, nearly
died at the height of the bloody two-hour clashes.
A thunderflash was deliberately thrown at him. In panic
he reared up, his front legs crashing through a car. The
eight-year-old bay severed an artery in his right leg.
As vets battled to stem the bleeding they feared he may
have to be destroyed. Other victims included Taurus and
Zorba — who took part in the Queen Mother’s
funeral.
Of 34 horses on duty just eight escaped unscathed. Among
the worst injured were Borris and Rafflers — left
with hideous cuts and bruises. Brave Zorba was found wandering
bleeding and dazed after losing his WPC rider. Sgt Malcolm
Gilbert, who was riding Rebel, told how bricks rained
down on them.
He said: “In nearly 30 years of service I have never
experienced violence like it.” Every single officer
in the 45-strong support unit on duty suffered some sort
of injury. Among six taken to hospital was one cop with
a broken leg. A colleague had a broken arm and another
a broken foot. Sgt Russell Lamb, 35, told of his terror
at seeing officers “dropping like ninepins.”
The dad of two — who needed seven stitches to a chin
wound — said he and his colleagues were “shocked,
stunned and upset” that a soccer match could trigger
such violence. There were so many police casualties a
field hospital had to be set up at the ground. Sgt Lamb
said: “Officers were falling over in pain.
The crowd were laughing in their faces. You could not
believe the amount of debris. Every single car had a brick
on the back seat, concrete had been thrown through windscreens
and sunroofs.” Two cars were torched — and rioters
prevented firemen getting through as the flames threatened
buildings.
Terrified Birmingham City players were not allowed to
leave their dressing room for two hours after winning
Thursday’s playoff game 1-0. Midfielder Paul Devlin
said: “We could hear the police helicopters hovering
overhead.”
Millwall has been notorious for hooliganism since 1920
— when its ground was closed for two weeks after
thugs attacked the opposition goalkeeper. The club vowed
to ban yobs involved in the “appalling” riot
for life. Chairman Theo Paphitis said: “We wish to
express our sympathy to those police officers and horses
injured.” |
| Contact : bernard.omahoney@bernardomahoney.com |
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