Police Match Commander Chief Superintendent Caroline Peters

[phantom]

A topic that I’ve not seen raised anywhere else on here yet today.

To look at things from a slightly different angle, I wonder how many arrests or police injuries could have been prevented if the crazy decision to let the Rovers fans out so soon after the final whistle was made?

By the time I walked around the Dolman, back of the Atyeo to head up past the Williams stand, we were stopped by a line of riot police and police horses.

The strange thing was that us City fans were surrounded by the police and kept in at the gates by the entrance to the East End.

I remember Leeds being held back, and even more recently remember how long we were kept back at Cardiff

There must have been at least 500 city fans that were surrounded by the police.

To me letting the homes fans clear the area and go home surely is the priority rather than letting fans exit at the same time then to have the inevitable problems around by KFC

I wonder whether there is a general lack of experience with the police dealing with these sort of situations compared to other forces.

Talking to officers near us they were equally amazed that the call was made to let everyone out at the same time.

Luckily the group of fans were sensible enough to hold their ground, but the 15 minute wait was getting very frustrating when all we wanted to do was to go home

Surely this needs to be reviewed in the future, and whoever made the call needs to learn from their mistakes

[Welcome To The Jungle]

A topic that I’ve not seen raised anywhere else on here yet today.

To look at things from a slightly different angle, I wonder how many arrests or police injuries could have been prevented if the crazy decision to let the Rovers fans out so soon after the final whistle was made?

By the time I walked around the Dolman, back of the Atyeo to head up past the Williams stand, we were stopped by a line of riot police and police horses.

The strange thing was that us City fans were surrounded by the police and kept in at the gates by the entrance to the East End.

I remember Leeds being held back, and even more recently remember how long we were kept back at Cardiff

There must have been at least 500 city fans that were surrounded by the police.

To me letting the homes fans clear the area and go home surely is the priority rather than letting fans exit at the same time then to have the inevitable problems around by KFC

I wonder whether there is a general lack of experience with the police dealing with these sort of situations compared to other forces.

Talking to officers near us they were equally amazed that the call was made to let everyone out at the same time.

Luckily the group of fans were sensible enough to hold their ground, but the 15 minute wait was getting very frustrating when all we wanted to do was to go home

Surely this needs to be reviewed in the future, and whoever made the call needs to learn from their mistakes

I did the same thing, I left at FT (didn't stay to watch the afters) and left the dolman to the police area by the EE to get my motorbike helmet. When I got there is was like any normal game with the fans milling out and mixing.

[bakes]

A topic that I’ve not seen raised anywhere else on here yet today.

To look at things from a slightly different angle, I wonder how many arrests or police injuries could have been prevented if the crazy decision to let the Rovers fans out so soon after the final whistle was made?

By the time I walked around the Dolman, back of the Atyeo to head up past the Williams stand, we were stopped by a line of riot police and police horses.

The strange thing was that us City fans were surrounded by the police and kept in at the gates by the entrance to the East End.

I remember Leeds being held back, and even more recently remember how long we were kept back at Cardiff

There must have been at least 500 city fans that were surrounded by the police.

To me letting the homes fans clear the area and go home surely is the priority rather than letting fans exit at the same time then to have the inevitable problems around by KFC

I wonder whether there is a general lack of experience with the police dealing with these sort of situations compared to other forces.

Talking to officers near us they were equally amazed that the call was made to let everyone out at the same time.

Luckily the group of fans were sensible enough to hold their ground, but the 15 minute wait was getting very frustrating when all we wanted to do was to go home

Surely this needs to be reviewed in the future, and whoever made the call needs to learn from their mistakes

They are clowns letting all fans out at the same time.

[Major Isewater]

Give me a "P". ...

[Miah Dennehy]

I honestly think letting fans out together is the best option. In the past when we aere kept in at AG, all that happened was that 'normal' City fans would disperse, but the meatheads would hang around, athen when we were finally let out it was easier for them to identify who were Rovers fans.

There was trouble by the KFC last night , me and my lad walked right into it, but it was relatively easy to just walk away if you didn't want to get involved.

[Guest beijing red]

I wonder if whoever made the decision to let both sets of fans out at the same time has ever been to a football match, let alone a Bristol derby.

Just defies all logic.

Would be interesting to hear what that person has to say about it.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

it was obvious as the 2nd half unfolded that the East End corner of the Dolman family stand had a lot of fans bent on causing trouble, so firstly how did they get into that area?, were they sold tickets? or simply abandon their Dolman seats?. However the police did nothing whatsoever to assist the the totally inadequate stewarding at that particular flash point, it was obvious to me at the end of the game there was going to be some form of pitch invasion but nothing was done to prevent it.

So let me add this to the mix, remember Leeds won a landmark ruling over police costs within the ground, football costs at matches have been a cash cow to the police, with what happened at Preston and here are the police perhaps trying to make a point? or are the police chiefs just so utterly incompetent?.

[RedM]

This happens all the time, although we are not usually held back as by the time we have walked around we are allowed to mingle with the very fans they have tried to keep us apart from, Cardiff, Millwall, Wolves etc! I never could understand it.

Last night I was held up as you were. Waited about 20 mins then they decided to let us go. You had to walk single file through the gates with a police horse each side of you. There was nobody causing trouble or shouting etc just patiently waiting to go home. I was with 3 other people, they filed through the gap but when I followed they stopped us leaving again, I was told to wait a minute. There didn't seem to be anything going on so I politely asked the policeman on the horse if I could get through as the 3 people I was with have just been let though. He said 'no, you'll soon catch up' I said I didn't know where they were parked. He just looked at me and shrugged. Considering I was obviously a lone female I thought that was pretty poor to be fair. Luckily the people I was with soon noticed I wasn't with them and came back and waited. The horse began to get a bit jittery, he gave it a pat and said 'he wants to get home' to which someone in the crowd said 'so do we'. So the policeman on the horse, older bloke with glasses, said ' at least you aren't sweltering in all this' pointing to his 'armoured' uniform! Doh, how is your uniform our fault, you grumpy git (I wanted to say but bit my tongue). A few minutes later they let us pass.

[phantom]

I honestly think letting fans out together is the best option. In the past when we aere kept in at AG, all that happened was that 'normal' City fans would disperse, but the meatheads would hang around, athen when we were finally let out it was easier for them to identify who were Rovers fans.

There was trouble by the KFC last night , me and my lad walked right into it, but it was relatively easy to just walk away if you didn't want to get involved.

Valid point, but I can only compare to being held back at Cardiff.

By the time we came out the streets were clear, those of us that were escorted back to the station didn't come across any home fans.

Just seems a less volatile way to handle a potential situation

[In the Net]

it was obvious as the 2nd half unfolded that the East End corner of the Dolman family stand had a lot of fans bent on causing trouble, so firstly how did they get into that area?, were they sold tickets? or simply abandon their Dolman seats?. However the police did nothing whatsoever to assist the the totally inadequate stewarding at that particular flash point, it was obvious to me at the end of the game there was going to be some form of pitch invasion but nothing was done to prevent it.

Exactly! I think I might apply for the post of football liaison officer with A&S. Those of us who are vetrans of these matches could have told them where the trouble would come from, yet even when these guys were mobbing up and removing the advertising hoardings, spitting at players etc, it was left to the stewards to deal with. Police should have been prepared, and in the vicinity - how many times was that guy in the yellow top allowed to come on the pitch and then go back behind the hoardings?

They like to let things happen, and then trawl through cctv to find the culprits, rather than be pro-active at the time.

[pongo88]

Personally I think the biggest problem was the lack of action from the police and stewards during the match. Before the match we were told there was going to be a zero tolerance attitude. Instead, a few muppets were allowed to do what ever they liked without any action being taken.

The obvious example what the chap in the yellow t shirt in front of the Dolman, but there were quite a few others. Not just City fans, as some gas came onto the pitch during the match, danced in front of the goal and were allowed back into the Wedlock. If, instead, this small number of people had been thrown out of the ground immediately, things might have been different.

Allowing these idiots to do what they wanted and get away with it just encouraged a large number of other fans to think they could do anything as well. There were a couple of young fans sat next to me in the Dolman(approx aged 11 and 14) who thought the antics of the muppets were fantastic and decided approx 10 minutes before the end of the match to go pitch side so that they could join in.

[Club and Country]

They wanted trouble it's as simple as that.

Now they will tell the whole country how great they are when they make 50 arrests in a months time!

Why not try and prevent the trouble first eh?

I seem in her interview and I quote 'known trouble makers from both clubs clashed' how was that ever allowed to happen?

[Mighty Squirrel Kingdom]

Some good points made in this thread.

I wonder what Su Mountstevens is doing this morning.

[Super]

Some good points made in this thread.

I wonder what Su Mountstevens is doing this morning.

Eating cakes.

[KevP]

They wanted trouble it's as simple as that.

Now they will tell the whole country how great they are when they make 50 arrests in a months time!

Why not try and prevent the trouble first eh?

I seem in her interview and I quote 'known trouble makers from both clubs clashed' how was that ever allowed to happen?

At half time outside the Williams, a thug Police Officer kitted up to the eyeballs ( and I mean THUG ) lashed out and hit a City lad right in the face....this nearly sparked a kick off, luckily some our the fans were sensible enough not to react. Police provocation. Witnessed. I hope those lads that saw it report it today and get the hooligan Police Officer sorted. Thats a sackable offence anywhere else, wonder if he gets off with it....just a thought like....

[brady bunch]

I honestly think letting fans out together is the best option. In the past when we aere kept in at AG, all that happened was that 'normal' City fans would disperse, but the meatheads would hang around, athen when we were finally let out it was easier for them to identify who were Rovers fans.

There was trouble by the KFC last night , me and my lad walked right into it, but it was relatively easy to just walk away if you didn't want to get involved.

did not think of that happening, but yep it makes sense in some ways to all go together. said the meatheads cant all just bugger off somewhere else and let us get on with going to and from a footy game in peace....

COYR...

[AshtonGreat]

If people behaved themselves, there wouldn't even be the need for a police presence. You don't get it at rugby games, not to that extent anyway.

[GrahamC]

Personally I think the biggest problem was the lack of action from the police and stewards during the match. Before the match we were told there was going to be a zero tolerance attitude. Instead, a few muppets were allowed to do what ever they liked without any action being taken.

The obvious example what the chap in the yellow t shirt in front of the Dolman, but there were quite a few others. Not just City fans, as some gas came onto the pitch during the match, danced in front of the goal and were allowed back into the Wedlock. If, instead, this small number of people had been thrown out of the ground immediately, things might have been different.

Absolutely so.

That clown ran on about 3 times in the second half and absolutely nothing was done to him.

If a policeman had put his arm up his back and thrown him out it would have served as a deterant to others.

I really was utterly baffled by the incompetence of both the police and stewards last night, there were kids no older than 8 or 9 who managed to get on the pitch at the end for God's sake, how on earth did they fail to stop them?

The police were quick enough to ask for £60k to police a testimonial but were utterly hopeless last night, by the time they got in the ground at the end the game it had been over for five minutes plus. Perhaps the overtime money was more interesting than doing anything to earn it.

If Rovers had taken the lead in the second half I seriously doubt that the game would have ended.

[Avalonred]

I left the Williams at FT and couldn't believe they'd opened the gates to let the Sags out? The horses were still ploughing up the pitch at the time and they were letting the Gas out?

Questions need to be asked! As was said, if the home fans had been dispersed before opening the away gates there wouldn't have been the issues in the KFC car park surely?

A couple of the Gas 'mugs' that had been 'escorted out of the stadium'.... after their goal celebrations.... were high sixing their mates and explaining what a jolly time they were having after being chucked out!

[Guest leftwingfullback]

It's obvious, policing at matches will be like the Cardiff game, little to no arrests at games then the whole hoohar in the papers weeks later saying do you know these people.

It makes the police look like they are doing a good job catching people, keeps their arrests rates up.

[In the Net]

I left the Williams at FT and couldn't believe they'd opened the gates to let the Sags out? The horses were still ploughing up the pitch at the time and they were letting the Gas out?

Questions need to be asked! As was said, if the home fans had been dispersed before opening the away gates there wouldn't have been the issues in the KFC car park surely?

A couple of the Gas 'mugs' that had been 'escorted out of the stadium'.... after their goal celebrations.... were high sixing their mates and explaining what a jolly time they were having after being chucked out!

As already mentioned, when this has been done in the past, once you get a couple of streets away from the ground you are a sitting duck for the groups of fans hanging around for trouble. Don't forget, this isn't like a normal game, where the majority of away fans will disperse in the same direction, and have a police escort back to the station.

[The Bard]

Absolutely so.

That clown ran on about 3 times in the second half and absolutely nothing was done to him.

If a policeman had put his arm up his back and thrown him out it would have served as a deterant to others.

I really was utterly baffled by the incompetence of both the police and stewards last night, there were kids no older than 8 or 9 who managed to get on the pitch at the end for God's sake, how on earth did they fail to stop them?

The police were quick enough to ask for £60k to police a testimonial but were utterly hopeless last night, by the time they got in the ground at the end the game it had been over for five minutes plus. Perhaps the overtime money was more interesting than doing anything to earn it.

If Rovers had taken the lead in the second half I seriously doubt that the game would have ended.

Bizarrely, I had my 2 kids (7 & 9) asking me if they could go on the pitch to celebrate at the end which was refused obviously. The Police and Stewards were passive aggressive last night. They failed to do their job at all and when things became clearly out of control some of them behaved in an unacceptable way. It also doesn't help that they turn up with this commando style gear. It changes the way people behave towards them. It says we are here for a fight rather than we are here to police a game of football. The atmosphere in the East End changed when they arrived during the first half from being boisterous to having more of a hostile edge to it.

One of the commandos in front of the East End watched about 50 fans go on the pitch at the end and did nothing before randomly battering one of the late comers. He was no more than 3 or 4 yards from the lummox in the yellow shirt who ran on to the pitch after the gas scored, but did nothing then.

[Avalonred]

As already mentioned, when this has been done in the past, once you get a couple of streets away from the ground you are a sitting duck for the groups of fans hanging around for trouble. Don't forget, this isn't like a normal game, where the majority of away fans will disperse in the same direction, and have a police escort back to the station.

Once the 'normal' people have gone, who's left? Hmmm, not rocket science is it? The police can also move outwards from the ground and 'patrol' the local areas, that would be novel wouldn't it? Police patrols? There were enough of them last night to make their presence felt in the whole of BS3, only needs a couple walking each street.

I don't condone what went on after the game but Im getting really p****d off with the idiots that were either watching it on telly or hearing news reports on the radio or local TV and have now decided that there was a riot the size of an Egyptian presidential takeover and we're all hoolies! A few handbags, a couple of scratched coppers and a spilt KFC bucket doth not a riot make!

The pictures in the news articles are quite funny tbh, 'rioting fans invading pitch' showing teenages with huge grins running towards the EE, hardly makes you shake with fright..... still not condoning!

[Guest leftwingfullback]

The bard, was that the steward by the gate at the bottom right of the ee, if looking towards the pitch?

I was stood there quite happily, in the stand I mean not on the pitch, when the steward said to a fan "I don't need police protection behind me"

Now what does that tell you? That's not someone there to keep order, that's someone who is happy to try and agitate fans and look for a fight.

[Alex_BCFC]

It is quite sad that we even have to have this conversation. In theory, there shouldn't be an issue but the idiots make it difficult and they probably should have been kept behind.

[Fodbarmyarmy]

I wonder if whoever made the decision to let both sets of fans out at the same time has ever been to a football match, let alone a Bristol derby.

Just defies all logic.

Would be interesting to hear what that person has to say about it.

I think you'll find their comment would be.......... "it shouldn't make a blind bit of difference"

[Kenn Loyal]

A topic that I’ve not seen raised anywhere else on here yet today.

To look at things from a slightly different angle, I wonder how many arrests or police injuries could have been prevented if the crazy decision to let the Rovers fans out so soon after the final whistle was made?

By the time I walked around the Dolman, back of the Atyeo to head up past the Williams stand, we were stopped by a line of riot police and police horses.

The strange thing was that us City fans were surrounded by the police and kept in at the gates by the entrance to the East End.

I remember Leeds being held back, and even more recently remember how long we were kept back at Cardiff

There must have been at least 500 city fans that were surrounded by the police.

To me letting the homes fans clear the area and go home surely is the priority rather than letting fans exit at the same time then to have the inevitable problems around by KFC

I wonder whether there is a general lack of experience with the police dealing with these sort of situations compared to other forces.

Talking to officers near us they were equally amazed that the call was made to let everyone out at the same time.

Luckily the group of fans were sensible enough to hold their ground, but the 15 minute wait was getting very frustrating when all we wanted to do was to go home

Surely this needs to be reviewed in the future, and whoever made the call needs to learn from their mistakes

We all know the OB could not run a bath, never have, never will be able to. Wonder if they got a bouns for how many they whacked with batons for no reason.

[Miah Dennehy]

did not think of that happening, but yep it makes sense in some ways to all go together. said the meatheads cant all just bugger off somewhere else and let us get on with going to and from a footy game in peace....

COYR...

Agreed (Apart from that COYR nonsense at the end of course )

[Gol]

I thought the police were awful last night didn't deter any trouble just went looking for a fight. everyone I've spoke to both city n rovers has said exactly the same. There should be an enquiry into how they dealt with this game but we all know that will not happen.

[Squire Dastardly]

Eating cakes.

Mounting Steven?

[Guest i hate rovers]

Absolutely so.

That clown ran on about 3 times in the second half and absolutely nothing was done to him.

If a policeman had put his arm up his back and thrown him out it would have served as a deterant to others.

I really was utterly baffled by the incompetence of both the police and stewards last night, there were kids no older than 8 or 9 who managed to get on the pitch at the end for God's sake, how on earth did they fail to stop them?

The police were quick enough to ask for £60k to police a testimonial but were utterly hopeless last night, by the time they got in the ground at the end the game it had been over for five minutes plus. Perhaps the overtime money was more interesting than doing anything to earn it.

If Rovers had taken the lead in the second half I seriously doubt that the game would have ended.

i was in the dolman lower where a few of ours kept getting on to the pitch. i cant remember a derby atmosphere like it.loud passionate,and very volitile,every time a gash head got the ball near us i thought someone was going to chin him. a lots been said about going on the pitch at the end,i saw women ,little kids if one of th ose police horses would have hit them ,well it do bare thinking about,yes they shouldnt be on there but a lot of city fans where there in high spirits rightly or wrongly...didnt the gash come on the pitch when they beat us at the mem?.city fans had cs gas blowing in there faces!idiots on both sides especially coin throwing..there was still trouble in the park at 23.30...i was in bed then dreaming of that 2nd goal C.O.Y.R..

[You Do The Dziekanowski]

Rovers fans in our side of the east end not chucked out just put in with their fans, Idiot on the pitch allowed on 3 times

Being in the police force is a JOB, You get paid to do the JOB, Last night it seems like they allowed anything to go just so they get a page in the EP, Both sets of fans behaved reasonably well, OB let the city down imo

[AshtonGreat]

Rovers fans in our side of the east end not chucked out just put in with their fans, Idiot on the pitch allowed on 3 times

Being in the police force is a JOB, You get paid to do the JOB, Last night it seems like they allowed anything to go just so they get a page in the EP, Both sets of fans behaved reasonably well, OB let the city down imo

You were obviously at a different game to me

[You Do The Dziekanowski]

You were obviously at a different game to me

Note how I said 'fans' the ones not there to cause trouble, The idiots seemed to be able to throw objects and get on the pitch with little done to stop them

[Guest bizi]

It worked though didnt it, think about it filth looking towards rovers fans, people massing to come on pitch and being ignored, headlines like today, just adds fuel to the fire for police to overcharge clubs for starting aggro(police not the fans).

The bigger picture is that in a year or two , police will start crying for more powers to ban fans on a whim and will get them,they already have powers to harrass and fine people and conficate vehicles etc without evidence, next clubs will be held to ransom for money to pay for extra policing, A&S need to find money to rebuild the new range that got burned down the other day, lets face it the police are not there to protect the ordinary person its just the governments money making arm

[Esmond Million's Bung]

Bottom line is this boys, she was obviously totally out of her depth and she royally ****** up, the police were useless inside the ground and she failed to identify the trouble in the Dolman family stand close to the east end and act upon it.

I predict she will be promoted to assistant chief constable somewhere in the country within 18 months, that's how it usually works.

[Aizoon]

Bottom line is this boys, she was obviously totally out of her depth and she royally ****** up, the police were useless inside the ground and she failed to identify the trouble in the Dolman family stand close to the east end and act upon it.

I predict she will be promoted to assistant chief constable somewhere in the country within 18 months, that's how it usually works.

It does

[myol'man]

Bottom line is this boys, she was obviously totally out of her depth and she royally ****** up, the police were useless inside the ground and she failed to identify the trouble in the Dolman family stand close to the east end and act upon it.

I predict she will be promoted to assistant chief constable somewhere in the country within 18 months, that's how it usually works.

I thought the whole police operation, even though they were vastly overmanned, was very poor from start to finish.

[Stephen Lewis]

I thought the pitch invaders who confronted the Rovers fans, even though being vastly underbrained, had escaped from a Monty Python movie.

[havanatopia]

OP: - The only mistakes were by those moronic few for acting the pea brains they are. You should be having a go at them for disrupting your departure and nobody else. End of.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

OP: - The only mistakes were by those moronic few for acting the pea brains they are. You should be having a go at them for disrupting your departure and nobody else. End of.

Sorry mate even watching the game on TV, as the game unfolded I predicted a pitch invasion and that in the main it was going to come from the corner of the Dolman closest to the East End, Ms Peters is very highly paid to carry out her job, make decisions and clearly failed, FFS she would have been in the police post overlooking the potential flashpoint, it wasn't rocket science. Pea brains will always be pea brains and do stuff nobody can understand, it was her job to at least attempt to prevent it from happening and clearly she failed, the buck as they say should stop with her, but it never will.

[Aizoon]

Sorry mate even watching the game on TV, as the game unfolded I predicted a pitch invasion and that in the main it was going to come from the corner of the Dolman closest to the East End, Ms Peters is very highly paid to carry out her job, make decisions and clearly failed, FFS she would have been in the police post overlooking the potential flashpoint, it wasn't rocket science. Pea brains will always be pea brains and do stuff nobody can understand, it was her job to at least attempt to prevent it from happening and clearly she failed, the buck as they say should stop with her, but it never will.

Yes, but if it was nipped in the bud, she wouldn't have got her banning bonus. See other thread and the dead rat bonus...

[phantom]

OP: - The only mistakes were by those moronic few for acting the pea brains they are. You should be having a go at them for disrupting your departure and nobody else. End of.

OK officer!

[Chris]

FFS she would have been in the police post overlooking the potential flashpoint, it wasn't rocket science. Pea brains will always be pea brains and do stuff nobody can understand, it was her job to at least attempt to prevent it from happening and clearly she failed, the buck as they say should stop with her, but it never will.

Nope, she clearly said on Radio Bristol that she'd be back at HQ in Portishead and would leave it to the team in the command room at the stadium.

[AshtonGreat]

Sorry mate even watching the game on TV, as the game unfolded I predicted a pitch invasion and that in the main it was going to come from the corner of the Dolman closest to the East End, Ms Peters is very highly paid to carry out her job, make decisions and clearly failed, FFS she would have been in the police post overlooking the potential flashpoint, it wasn't rocket science. Pea brains will always be pea brains and do stuff nobody can understand, it was her job to at least attempt to prevent it from happening and clearly she failed, the buck as they say should stop with her, but it never will.

Like I said and like others have said, if people behaved themselves and watched a football match without acting like numpties, you wouldn't even need police.

[Aizoon]

Like I said and like others have said, if people behaved themselves and watched a football match without acting like numpties, you wouldn't even need police.

No, but we do need them, and they didn't do what we paid them for.

[phantom]

Like I said and like others have said, if people behaved themselves and watched a football match without acting like numpties, you wouldn't even need police.

We don't live in Utopia !

[Guest leftwingfullback]

Like I said and like others have said, if people behaved themselves and watched a football match without acting like numpties, you wouldn't even need police.

If people behaves themselves in life without acting like numpties, you wouldn't need police full stop.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

Nope, she clearly said on Radio Bristol that she'd be back at HQ in Portishead and would leave it to the team in the command room at the stadium.

There you go then, the chief and highest earner on duty (because of all of her responsibilities) hiding miles away so as the underlings can be blamed, again that's how it works.

There is a saying in the military when a senior officer get's injured in battle scenario '**** me that must have been lucky shot to hit him from that far away or more likely one of his own did it'.

[Fordy62]

Just to clarify, what exactly did the police do wrong?

[Esmond Million's Bung]

Like I said and like others have said, if people behaved themselves and watched a football match without acting like numpties, you wouldn't even need police.

Ah yes of course just like the peace lovers who march against war and then.........................................................

[Fordy62]

Just to clarify, what exactly did the police do wrong?

[Esmond Million's Bung]

Just to clarify, what exactly did the police do wrong?

Well let me see, not long after the gas equalised, did you not see a lot of problems in the family stand part of the Dolman close to the East End?, involving encroachment onto the pitch, gas players being spat at, hoardings being destroyed and general bad behaviour and didn't it occur to you that there might actually be trouble and even a pitch invasion at the full time whistle? and how many police officers did you see there?, because I did not see one, there were people who should have been arrested but the stewards were left to deal with it alone and they simply are not well trained or paid enough.

[phantom]

Just to clarify, what exactly did the police do wrong?

Is that you Caroline ?

From MY perspective:

Didn't stop people who continuously went on the pitch - example the guy from the Dolman who went on, on three occasions

Letting away fans leave the ground at the same time as home fans - massive flashpoint would have been avoided (remember Cardiff away)

Didn't police the entrance in the away section well enough to avoid flashpoint with F block - no need to let people congregate

Section in Dolman stand, that having watched back on TV, were CLEARLY going to cause a problem - why did the police not go in and stop this?

[Aizoon]

There you go then, the chief and highest earner on duty (because of all of her responsibilities) hiding miles away so as the underlings can be blamed, again that's how it works.

There is a saying in the military when a senior officer get's injured in battle scenario '**** me that must have been lucky shot to hit him from that far away or more likely one of his own did it'.

Reminds me of the WW I story about two Tommies on leave from the Western Front.

"On our front, the Huns have a gun that'll fire twenty miles. "

"That's nothing. On our front they've got a gun that will hit General Headquarters. "

[AshtonGreat]

To be fair, the club didn't employ enough

We don't live in Utopia !

That may be so, but the people you should be blaming for what happened on Wednesday are the people who caused trouble/ran onto the pitch, not the police. If they hadn't done that, we wouldn't be having this discussion now.

[Slacker]

Of course the fans who caused trouble are to blame but what happened to the police officers who are highly trained,well paid especially with the overtime?As a taxpayer and innocent party at the game are you happy with the service they provided that night.I for one think they could have done more( anything!) to prevent some of the problems.

[phantom]

To be fair, the club didn't employ enough

That may be so, but the people you should be blaming for what happened on Wednesday are the people who caused trouble/ran onto the pitch, not the police. If they hadn't done that, we wouldn't be having this discussion now.

Disagree - the police are there to do a job, mainly to stop these idiots, they did not do that.

My bigest complaint was what happened outside

[AshtonGreat]

Disagree - the police are there to do a job, mainly to stop these idiots, they did not do that.

My bigest complaint was what happened outside

Possibly. I was under the impression that having a heavy police presence at football matches was a thing of the past (as it tends to create a feeling of intimidation) and had been long since replaced by well-drilled stewards. I would certainly argue that the club didn't employ enough stewards on Wednesday night.

I must admit, the police presence outside the ground seemed almost non-existent to me. Mind you, I only saw four Rovers fans before the game. Literally four. It was a baffling night generally - walking up through Cumberland Basin at 6.30pm, I didn't see a solitary football fan!

[Slacker]

The police will be happy enough to take the money from the initial policing bill plus the fine the club will inevitably get plus individual fines from wrongdoers but what did they actually do to prevent these events.How long were people starting to line up on the side if the Dolman before the pitch invasion.The vast majority of both sets of supporters were fantastic and our police force failed to protect us from some obvious trouble that everyone could see was going to happen.

[Gol]

OP: - The only mistakes were by those moronic few for acting the pea brains they are. You should be having a go at them for disrupting your departure and nobody else. End of.

I disagree whilst not condoning the actions of those on the pitch or who caused trouble wednesday night, they are all idiots, however as said earlier it was painfully obvious that the pitch invasion was going to happen as soon as Bryan scored. Had she been doing her job properly that should of been of been ample time to prevent it from happening. Also with the amount the match cost in policing there can be no excuses about lack of manpower.

Having spoke to friends who were in the rovers end and from what me and my friends saw from both the east end and the Williams we are all in agreement that the police did nothing to prevent trouble from happening which should of been there main job. Like it or not we all know both sides had people who saw this as a chance to cause trouble and the police did very little to prevent this from happening.

Therefore IMO without shifting any blame from the idiots who caused the trouble, the police and Caroline Peters failed to properly ensure the safety of all fans in and around Ashton gate on Wednesday night.

[SouthBristolCityBhoy]

I think letting the Rovers fans out at the same time was a good idea. Loads were on the pitch at the final whistle and loads stayed to watch. Those from both sides wanting a quick getaway to avoid trouble could do so. Keeping away fans back just delays problems. Sometimes I think it'd be safer to keep the home fans in and get the smaller number of away fans away (although impractical).

The police's biggest mistake was allowing loads of pitch invaders (on both sides) go unpunished after all three goals. If there had been arrests then it may have prevented the big invasion at the end. Also there should have been police stopping the obvious invasion from the Dolman - it was obvious to everyone what was going to happen.

They have got a difficult job but made big mistakes on Wednesday.

City fans goading in the car park didn't help and Rovers fans running through the police to attack them was even worse.

[Fordy62]

I know this wont go down well, but if someone enters onto the playing area, it's the stewards' job to detain them, not the police. It's an agreement between police and club. When stewards detain, police arrest. You can't have the latter without the former.

[redsquirrel]

whilst i dont agree with the fans on the pitch,in all my years of going down the gate i thought weds was the tamest derby/high profile match ive been to where emotions have spilled over

[KevP]

"Zero Tolerance" she quoted before the game. The one incident I saw, that she could argue was zero tolerance, but I would argue was sheer thuggery, was one of her riot officers punch a lad in the face at half time. Didn't arrest him, caution him or anything like that, just smashed him in the face. UTTER JOKE and the whole operation from a Police perspective was an EPIC FAIL. ( IMO of course ).

[Aizoon]

When you put a copper in riot gear, he loses his best means of persuading people to behave, his face and his voice.

He becomes an alien being, a figure of fear and loathing, not a human being.

[BrizzleRed]

Cynical head on here, but it wouldn't really be in the police's best interest if they'd nipped any potential trouble in the bud, would it?

A big, expensive police presence with no problems could have left people questioning why we should have so many police at great cost to the club. Now the police can point to the problems as justification of having them there at future big games, and are hardly likely to be questioned how their handling of the situation made it so easy for these problems to occur.

You can bet events on Wednesday night will be used many times in the future as a justification for lumbering the club with big policing costs at big games. You could maybe call Wednesday part of the Avon & Somerset Police's income generation programme!

Maybe they just decided to take a leaf out of the South Wales Constabulary book!

[Guest bizi]

As i said in an earlier post, not one of the police actions is designed for the protection of fans,also i muted that the police are allowing this type of stuff to happen so in future they can cry to the courts for yet more powers i also said its just to hold clubs to ransom, fast forward to today,back in the 90's they bought in a law against allowing beer into grounds(outside not inside) was along the lines of "causing or permitting intoxicating liquor into a designated sporting event) when i asked about this i was told their definition of a designated sporting event was where more than 20 people had gathered and allowed them to arrest anyone who even smelt of beer, this alone was powerful enough to stop anyone going into a ground, but since then other stuffs come in progressively harsher , the filth enforce these for a few weeks then start crying for more power, i believe it will carry on until the filth are able to issue large fines and banning orders willy nilly also bear in mind the police will gradually increase their tactics and methods till fans cant move on their own, look at Plymouth today a totally over the top response in the hope that someone will kick off, I also find it interesting that as on weds they are shipping police in from south wales, Link http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-23973020

I wonder what the policing would have been like if city were playing today or indeed what sort of police over the topness will be at your next game, thing is with these over the top methods, if no trouble occurs then filth will say we we justified in using so many officers and horses ,even the nuclear barriers was justified, if anything happens they will say exactly the same thing, wouldn't surprise me if they start trying to stop games going ahead with spectators

[Esmond Million's Bung]

What I find rich is that in a week where the Chief Freemason (sorry Chief constable) of Greater Manchester said that 65% of all crimes committed in his force area are not even investigated, A & S will throw unlimited resources at this and many of the offences that people will be charged will be so minor in fact the same ones that if they happened on the streets of Bristol would not even be investigated.

[AshtonGreat]

"Zero Tolerance" she quoted before the game. The one incident I saw, that she could argue was zero tolerance, but I would argue was sheer thuggery, was one of her riot officers punch a lad in the face at half time. Didn't arrest him, caution him or anything like that, just smashed him in the face. UTTER JOKE and the whole operation from a Police perspective was an EPIC FAIL. ( IMO of course ).

What was the lad doing?