Thursday May 24, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
The government today demanded an explanation from the Greek authorities over the treatment of Liverpool fans who were baton-charged after being denied entry to the Champions League final in Athens last night.
The call came as thousands of disconsolate supporters headed back to the UK after seeing their dreams of European glory dashed by AC Milan's 2-1 win at the Olympic Stadium.
Chaotic disturbances outside the ground soured the evening, as fans with tickets were turned away and sprayed with tear gas by riot police.
The government today demanded an explanation from the Greek authorities over the treatment of Liverpool fans who were baton-charged after being denied entry to the Champions League final in Athens last night.
The call came as thousands of disconsolate supporters headed back to the UK after seeing their dreams of European glory dashed by AC Milan's 2-1 win at the Olympic Stadium.
Chaotic disturbances outside the ground soured the evening, as fans with tickets were turned away and sprayed with tear gas by riot police.
"We have received reports from some fans that they were prevented from entering the ground despite having tickets, and were then the subject of heavy-handed treatment by the police," a spokesman said.
Police also used batons against fans who had genuine tickets for the game. Supporters were angered after being told the ground was full to its 63,800 capacity, and trouble erupted as they attempted to find a way around police cordons.
Officers at the scene told the fans it was not their fault, and it appeared that supporters with forged tickets had got into the stadium earlier.
Last night's disorder was the latest involving European police forces and supporters from English clubs.
Earlier this season, Manchester United complained their fans had come under "unprovoked attack" on the terraces in Rome, while Tottenham complained about baton charges on their supporters in Seville.
Around 2,000 people were still outside the stadium when last night's final kicked off. Pete Evans, 37, a BT worker from Dublin, said: "This is crazy. I paid € 2,000 (£1,350) to be here."
Kenny Roberts, a 19-year-old from Norris Green, Liverpool, said: "I've got no chance of using the ticket now. I've been gassed and hit on the back of the head by the police ... this is just disgraceful. It's terrible organisation."
Two Liverpool fans from Norway, who had paid €3,000 each for travel packages, headed disconsolately back into central Athens 30 minutes after kick-off.
Rune Loholt, a 35-year-old from Trondheim, said fans with forgeries had got past the authorities, meaning genuine supporters were not let in. Frode Forsdahl, 32, a student from Trondheim, said: "We've been pepper-sprayed and hit in the face with clubs. We'll have to give up."
Uefa's communications chief, William Gaillard, put the blame squarely on Liverpool supporters. "Unfortunately in Britain it is the behaviour," he said. "Liverpool fans are responsible for the problems before, during and after the game."
After the match, hundreds of Liverpool supporters gathered in the centre of the Greek capital to chant their support for the team into the small hours. Police praised the behaviour of the fans, saying there had been no trouble and no violent incidents.
More than 25,000 Liverpool fans and around 17,000 Milan fans were estimated to be in the city for the match, with 8,500 police officers on duty.
A total of 230 people who had been detained with forged tickets were released today, and no further action will be taken against them. Police said 216 of them were from the UK, and nine from Italy.
There were some hard luck stories even before the game got underway. Clifton Harrison, 33, from Liverpool, had four tickets - which he had bought for £600 each in Britain - stolen from an envelope in his pocket on the underground early yesterday.
"I am hugely disappointed - I spent all last week sourcing the tickets," Mr Harrison, who works in business development for Price Waterhouse Coopers, said. "I could have cried when it happened."
Another 150 fans were stranded at Liverpool's John Lennon Airport after one of 37 charter flights scheduled to take 8,000 people to Athens was cancelled yesterday.
The Jet Time Airways flight was unable to take off because of technical problems. Ben Whitehead, a 22-year-old computer technician from Huddersfield, who had paid £550 to travel on it, said: "I am absolutely devastated. I have been crying."
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