On 8 August there was a serious incident at Newcastle Central station
involving Sunderland fans returning from a pre-season friendly at Hearts,
which resulted in 4 fans being hospitalised, 3 with head injuries caused by
police batons and one with injuries caused by dog bites. One of the fans is
still off work with his injuries. No police officers were injured although
Northumbria police say that some police dogs suffered bruising ( and
published a picture of one of them being petted by a WPC)
The versions of the police and the fans about the causes of this incident
are diametrically opposed. The police say that fans off that train arrived
"intent on violence" and attacked the police officers and their dogs. The
fans say that police at the back were pushing them forward whilst those at
the front were pushing them back, leaving them nowhere to go and that the
trouble started when 2 police officers at the front unleashed their dogs
which started biting fans.
The police have so far arrested about 40 fans but all have been bailed and
so far none have been charged with anything.
Sunderland FC have now banned fans because they were arrested. We believe
that the principle of innocent until proved guilty should apply, and also
that anyone banned by a club should have a chance to present their case.
That's just natural justice. If and when any fans are found guilty by a
court of offences of violence, that's a different situation but at the
moment that's not the case, and indications have been given that in many
cases no charges will be laid.
Sunderland fans have launched a petition for the club bans to be lifted and
are asking for support from other clubs fans.
You do not have to make a judgement about what happened on the station and
whether any of those fans acted wrongly. A court will do that in due course
if any of them are charged.
The principle here is that clubs shouldn't ban fans for being arrested,
before they have been found guilty of anything, or had an opportunity to
present their side of the story to either the Club or a court.
Follow the link below to sign the petition. Thanks for your support.
http://www.fsf.org.uk/petitions/sunderland-ban-quinn-petition.php
