bh_red Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 good to see the post have actually followed through and made an issue of it, be interesting to see what actually happenshttp://www.thisisbristol.com/displayNode.j...tentPK=16790519 Football fans have launched complaints against the police after suffering the effects of CS spray at the end of the Bristol derby at the Memorial Stadium.Dozens of Bristol City fans were left suffering sore eyes and throats after the spray was "indiscriminately" used at the away crowd as the full-time whistle blew on their side's 1-0 defeat in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy area final second leg on Tuesday.City fans have been contacting the Evening Post as well as the police to complain at what they say was a "totally unnecessary" action.The Avon and Somerset force has launched an internal investigation into the incident, which occurred as some Rovers fans were running onto the pitch to celebrate their side's victory - some heading towards the City fans.The City supporters were penned in behind a line of stewards and police officers dressed in full riot gear with batons and shields.A-level student, Joe White, aged 17, from St George, is one of the fans who has made a written complaint to police.The City season ticket holder said: "I was right at the front and there were some City fans who could see the Rovers fans were allowed to run onto the pitch and start taunting us without anybody stopping them."It felt like all the police resources were directed at the City fans."The police started having a go at us, using their batons to hit out at people. There was a police officer holding up the can of spray at arm's length like he was threatening people with it."Then I caught a mouthful of the spray and started choking and spitting and I was in agony."My throat still hurts now and I know there were a lot of people much worse than me."It was totally unnecessary and the police had done a good job controlling things until that point."There were a lot of young people at the front because it is the best place for them to stand."Liz Weaver, 58, from Portishead, also inhaled the spray - usually used to incapacitate armed or violent offenders in one-on-one situations - despite being about 12 rows back from the front of the terraces.She said: "It was a very frightening experience. I know there are some idiots who go to football, but that is hardly me."We were just standing there and we could see that the Rovers fans had gone on to the pitch and there were some people who were annoyed at that."Then I felt this stinging in my eyes where somebody had sprayed the gas."I thought that was supposed to be used on individuals, not to be sprayed indiscriminately at a crowd. It was totally unnecessary."Chris Hayes, 37, from Corsham, said he had suffered particularly badly because he wears contact lenses.He said: "People were getting angry and upset, there were a lot of red faces and people with streaming eyes. The people who got the worst of the police were the regular fans, the kids at the front, women and young children."Chris Giles, 18, from Patchway, said: "I haven't been able to talk properly since Tuesday night and the following day I literally couldn't talk at all."Three days on from the incident I am still coughing very badly and quite frequently and still unable to talk properly."He said he believed the police had been far more heavy-handed on Tuesday night than they had at the first leg of the semi-final on February 21.He said: "I saw at least three or four men with serious cuts on the heads, and one man even had a cut right above one of his eyes."The officers then proceeded to get their CS gas and start spraying it at anyone and everyone."One child at the front got it in his face as did a number of other people."The Bristol City Supporters Trust is urging fans who were caught up in the incident to make a complaint.A statement on the Bristol City FC website says: "The trust recommends that any fans unhappy with their treatment before, during or after the game at the Memorial Stadium on Tuesday February 27 2007, should channel their complaints to the Avon & Somerset Police in the first instance."The trust will aim to represent fans wherever possible, though in this instance, we recommend that fans contact the police directly."Police spokesman Ian Drury said police had received a "handful" of complaints.He said: "Most of these complaints relate to the use of CS spray by police dealing with disorder after the match."Each complaint is being treated extremely seriously and is in the process of being looked into by Avon and Somerset Constabulary's Professional Standards department."It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time as an internal investigation is under way." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chalky Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 That is me (Joe White), I am not willing to let what I witnessed on Tuesday go unnoticed with no action taken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsince82 Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Quite agree that something has to be done about this, and good to see that the media are showing an interest...... but if you are boycotting the EP how did you manage to read this report????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh_red Posted March 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Quite agree that something has to be done about this, and good to see that the media are showing an interest...... but if you are boycotting the EP how did you manage to read this report????????? from the website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsince82 Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 from the websiteOk so lets just say, we all follow your example, we all sign "The Petition" and (in an ideal world) the EP loses so many readers so that it has to shut down. Who will then report on the plight of our supporters????? I don't think anyone can feel so passionate about a subject, even encouraging others to boycott a certain publication, to then praise them for their direction of journalism "good to see the post have actually followed through and made an issue of it" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
And Its Smith Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 from the websiteFair play to the Evening Post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City_pete1 Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Ok so lets just say, we all follow your example, we all sign "The Petition" and (in an ideal world) the EP loses so many readers so that it has to shut down. Who will then report on the plight of our supporters????? I don't think anyone can feel so passionate about a subject, even encouraging others to boycott a certain publication, to then praise them for their direction of journalism "good to see the post have actually followed through and made an issue of it"Agree with your post. When they apologised about the Orr incident a few weeks back I thought 'fair play' to them for stating that. And now running this story (4 days after the event though). However, my personal view of the evening post has not changed, and I will never buy the paper again - personal choice. I've had enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icamanicity Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 The only way i would buy the post now, is if they denouce the gas as evil, and it appears on the front page, so no way would i buy it again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Collis Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 The Evening Post makes great toilet paper. Very soft on the old exit hole.This article is better then the usual nonsense they write. Somehow they have refrained from twisting the story and making it sound like BCFC is responsible for world poverty.Onwards and upwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OC 1645 Posted March 4, 2007 Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 The Evening Post makes great toilet paper. Very soft on the old exit hole.This article is better then the usual nonsense they write. Somehow they have refrained from twisting the story and making it sound like BCFC is responsible for world poverty.Onwards and upwards.It might also prove that the editorial staff of the Bristol Evening Post, although being Gasheads, may not be Free Masons. What you're up against with any complaint against the Police is the 'funny handshakes brigade'. I bet the coppers that attacked our supporters with chemical weapons spray will be begging for protection from their local Free Masons lodge - they'll then have to do some favour for some bent Judge and/or Crown Prosecution Service lawyer Free Mason and they'll get that protection........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OC 1645 Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 The Evening Post makes great toilet paper. Very soft on the old exit hole.This article is better then the usual nonsense they write. Somehow they have refrained from twisting the story and making it sound like BCFC is responsible for world poverty.Onwards and upwards.Collis, I was very pleased to read on a Subcider message board that a Member of Parliament is now investigating the heavy handed treatment you received from the Gestapo Police at the Gas game.Click on the URL below to read how the Police blinded school pupils with chemical weapons spray.......http://uk.search.yahoo.com/search/images/v...c0&ei=UTF-8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City_pete1 Posted March 17, 2007 Report Share Posted March 17, 2007 Still fuming about this. Got paperwork through from the police today to follow-up the complaint. Says there is a number of complaints they are following. My mate is doing the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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