Police at Stoke - Disgusting Behaviour

smogintheforest said:
While we were waiting to be let out, a lad near me asked one of the coppers what it was all about. He replied, politely to be fair, that they believed a minority of Boro fans were going to start fighting with a similar minority of Stoke fans. Quite what this was based upon, I have no idea. Stoke isn't usually the sort of place where the local crew hang around outside the away end for a post-match punch up. In fact, thankfully, not many places are in 2021. Of course, I may have missed a bunch of young Boro fans charging out of the ground at full time, oblivious to the fact that the car park behind the away end had a lot of police officers, police vans and police cars in it, so if anyone did see what would have been rather foolish (and unlikely) behaviour, I stand corrected. But I am probably with the majority of us there today, wondering why Staffordshire Police found such a 1980s approach to visiting fans so necessary.
Click to expand...
I heard a copper explaining to some of our fans that they were acting that was to prevent public disorder? Not good at all.
 
I thought holding fans back was finished? I've not been held back anywhere for years (usually Leeds/Mags and Sunderland).

Many people have tight deadlines to make trains. It's just a massive hassle and actually causes folk to get annoyed if you've got a train at 1730.
 
S7DiscoDown said:
I thought holding fans back was finished? I've not been held back anywhere for years (usually Leeds/Mags and Sunderland).

Many people have tight deadlines to make trains. It's just a massive hassle and actually causes folk to get annoyed if you've got a train at 1730.
Click to expand...
We were already held back to start off with. But then kettling and pepper spraying (from inside of one of the vans btw) made no sense to wait so long and then only let folks out slowly in single file. They took AGES filming everyone first.. even though there was no bother. It was more like they were antagonising folks and waiting for a big kick off. Not one of the 4/5 lads that I saw thot got pepper sprayed got cuffed or arrested.

Fancy going to a game with your kid and then getting pepper sprayed.. then having to drive back to boro half blind and choked up!
 
Amazing to see that massive police over reaction. Like stepping into a time warp straight back to 1985. As said above you can only summise they were trying to justify a massive OTT police presence by forcing an incident.
I hung around afterwards because I wanted to go to the oatcake canal barge. There werent any fights going on but none of the home car parks started to clear until 45 mins after the end of the game. At least.
So it was an amazing police operation that inconvenienced the whole crowd. Home and away.
There were no incidents at all until they barred everyone's path with lines of police and police vans. The lock in went on and on and on. No communication was forthcoming. Then the pepper spraying of away fans started. Finally we were allowed out but were made to walk single file between their hi viz body armour police camera aggressive lipped lines.
What on earth were they thinking?
 
Last edited:
NorthumberlandBoro said:
We wanted to dash off quick to catch a train, but were met by police stewards preventing exit .
A crowd built up behind us and after 5 minutes or so the inevitable happened.
There was a surge and I was bundled into 2 Coppers who barely kept their feet.
Everyone spilled through the closed doors.
Not well thought out.
Not sure what went on after as we jumped on a bus for the station. Did not leave till after 5.25 and we only made our train because it was delayed.
Heard reports of bother in the car park but did not witness.
Click to expand...

It was the same the last time I went there when we played them in the prem, totally OTT and intimidating especially when you're on you're own like i was. Wouldn't let me off the car park for ages
 
fmttmadmin said:
Amazing to see that massive police over reaction. Like stepping into a time warp straight back to 1985. As said above you can only summise they were trying to justify a massive OTT police presence by forcing an incident.
I hung around afterwards because I wanted to go to the oatcake canal barge. There werent any fights going on but none of the home car parks started to clear until 45 mins after the end of the game. At least.
So it was an amazing police operation that inconvenienced the whole crowd. Home and away.
There were no incidents at all until they barred everyone's path with lines of police and police vans. The lock in went on and on and on. No communication was forthcoming. Then the pepper spraying of away fans started. Finally we were allowed out but were made to walk single file between their hi viz body armour police camera aggressive lipped lines.
What on earth were they thinking?
Click to expand...
Suspect it's because someone has to justify the high policing costs,no arrests and a generally convivial crowd means someone's dropped a bo11ock.
Let's pretend there's a threat ! thankfully the Boro fans didn't kick off.
 
Shocking from the police and completely unecessary, 200 police literally to manage 1700 boro fans, ridiculous. Kept in and then held back and channeled through a one man passage way with 30 police each side forming an corridor. Could have easily just held it back and let everyone out, more coppers standing in the way blockign fans getting out than fans! I have ben to hundreds of boro games away and neve rfelt the need to complain, I have photo and video evidence and will be making a complaint about this one. Even after getting through the line of 30 coppers a side corridor there were 30+ stood aimlessley watching! Absolutely no signs of a kick off before although we know there is history, ridiculous policing. Was counter productive as fans kicking of with police and with each other out of frustration.
 
newyddion said:
Nah there was no one. There were two bus drivers sat behind me saying that there wasn’t going to be a police escort (for the away busses).. which they thought was strange.
Click to expand...
We had a police escort for the bus to the station, it went straight through some red lights. Just as well as we just made our Derby train. 😃
 
I'm suprised they still have police. The large majority of clubs have scaled back due to saving money (depending on game cat).

Then again you do seem see more these days. I think it's pretty evident that incidents are on the rise.
 
Borehamwood_Boro said:
Shocking from the police and completely unecessary, 200 police literally to manage 1700 boro fans, ridiculous. Kept in and then held back and channeled through a one man passage way with 30 police each side forming an corridor. Could have easily just held it back and let everyone out, more coppers standing in the way blockign fans getting out than fans! I have ben to hundreds of boro games away and neve rfelt the need to complain, I have photo and video evidence and will be making a complaint about this one. Even after getting through the line of 30 coppers a side corridor there were 30+ stood aimlessley watching! Absolutely no signs of a kick off before although we know there is history, ridiculous policing. Was counter productive as fans kicking of with police and with each other out of frustration.
Click to expand...

Need to get a big group together and start a civil claim, hit the b6stards in the pocket.
 
I dont go to away matches these days but i have done in the past with my kids, its absolutely scandalous they can pepper spray indiscriminately in a crowd with children and probably elderly as well. Were they spraying the fans from police vans to hide their own identity. The ironic thing is if you step out of line then its on camera yet but you can bet your life there will be no footage available to incriminate the heavy handed police.
I suggest a coordinated apparoach by the fans who were there yesterday in gathering evidence to make a collective complaint. It might be worth speaking with the FSA and other fan groups who have visited stoke this season as well
 
I went to the game by myself from Manchester. I have been to Stoke before and know how to get there from the station etc. I got there early to have a drink with a mate of mine from Stoke who was waiting at a pub in the city centre. I didn’t wear colours so I would be able to meet him.

I didn’t see any trouble that might have been reported after the game but police were heavy from early in the morning to be honest. Got there and the police presence at the station was crazy. They clocked the accent and told me I was banned from going to the city centre. Which was unusual for here but I have seen it before. I managed to find one officer who would actually listen to me and I said that I was going to head down the canal to the ground. He seemed ok with it. As I started to walk towards the canal I was followed by another officer who claimed to be “checking that I was doing what I said I was doing”.

After getting to the ground having a drink in a pub nearby (which was full of police too) then seeing the scenes at the end, the police were clearly on edge from the start to finish and that caused their reaction. I think if they convince themselves that something is going to happen they become the catalyst for anything. I am so glad I never convinced my girlfriend to come and I felt really sorry for people who brought kids who just wanted to get out before the crowds.

That all said the majority of the officers were great and the banter before the game with Stoke fans and staff were great. Shame that the heavy handed minority of officers ruined it yesterday. I think the club needs to advocate on behalf of our fans on this one. Yes I know our away fans can have a section of divvies in it but the answer was not what Staffordshire Police did yesterday.
 
edinboro said:
Just got back to York now. I guess they were trying to let the home fans disperse. But why not tell us? No communication and just rank bad policing. Glad I didn't take my son.

Seeing people try to explain to other police that they had been pepper sprayed and them giving no sympathy was very sad.

Heard one Policeman tell one fella his colleague, sitting in a Van, felt threatened by him and his 15 year old - with a broken ankle next to his van. Terrible.

@fmttmadmin it's worth asking the club for their thoughts I think. I think Rob was taking photos of it all.
Click to expand...
Am afraid you are mistaken I wasn't taking photos/filming etc - wish I had now but there were plenty of people using their mobiles. Whether they could actually see what was going on through the phones or not I don't know.
 
fmttmadmin said:
Am afraid you are mistaken I wasn't taking photos/filming etc - wish I had now but there were plenty of people using their mobiles. Whether they could actually see what was going on through the phones or not I don't know.
Click to expand...
Aaah sorry. There were loads filming so I'm sure there is footage. Could it be raised through Boro Support. God knows what Sheff United will be like.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top