The French police owe Liverpool fans an apology, says Dan Wootton
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The French police owe Liverpool fans an apology.
I’ve watched this story unfold all week with growing horror at the disingenuous degradation of English football fans who, as it turned out, had done absolutely nothing wrong.
Following the appalling scenes at Stade de France on Saturday night, French authorities blamed the English supporters.
They even blamed Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Then they claimed there were 40,000 fake tickets at the Champions League Final.
The official tally is just 2,589.
Looking at the scenes from Saturday night, where Liverpool fans were pelted with pepper spray and tear gas, it’s pretty obvious to me who was in the wrong…
The narrative blaming Liverpool fans also doesn’t add up when Madrid fans reported a similar experience of bottlenecks, chaos and tear gas.
Especially given there is footage of what appears to be French locals and Madrid fans jumping the stadium fence and sprinting past security…
The chairman of Liverpool Tom Werner has demanded an apology from French sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra after she accused the club letting their supporters loose.
But most shameful is France’s Britain-hating Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin who first blamed Klopp by saying…
“The Liverpool coach a few days ago had encouraged supporters to come to France even if they didn’t have tickets.”
And then turned on all English clubs by adding…
“I think the comparison with rugby games or Olympics is a bit disproportionate because it is only in football with certain English clubs that there are these problems.”
No, sir, the problem is with France and its appalling organisation of this event.
It’s far easier to launch a pathetic new diplomatic war with the UK rather than examine this monumental fiasco, which could have resulted in unnecessary injury and death.
But rival French politicians know that’s what Macron’s new government must do, given the country will host the Rugby World Cup next year and the Olympics in 2024.