Justice Served Finally for Liverpool Fans and Families
On April 15, 1989 — 27-years ago — there was a mind-numbing and horrific tragedy which rocked the soccer world. 96 Liverpool football fans were killed – crushed to death in a stadium.
Today the police were found to be responsible for the deaths — although originally soccer fans were blamed. The fans were “unlawfully killed” because of errors by the police. It was a landmark verdict delivered by a jury.
What happened in 1989?
The worst sports tragedy in England’s history, known as the Hillsborough Disaster, was when 96 Liverpool soccer fans were crushed to death. These soccer fans were between the ages of 10 and 67 and they simply went off to cheer for their team at a soccer game and never came home again – crushed to death in a soccer stadium because of overcrowding in the stands.
Where did it happen?
The deaths happened at the Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest fixture in the FA Cup Semi-Final held at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England.
The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir performed a beautiful rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone in memory of those who died in England’s soccer massacre.
The match in 1989 was attended by a reported 50,000 fans. In an area designated for a maximum capacity of 1,600, an estimated 3,000 eager fans flooded in when the gate was opened. 96 Liverpool fans were literally crushed to death. An additional 162 soccer fans needed medical treatment in the hospital and hundreds more were also inured, but not seriously enough to require hospitalization.
In 1991, an inquest ruled that the deaths of the soccer fans were accidental and today, a jury ruled that the 96 Liverpool fans who died in the Hillsborough disaster were unlawfully killed.
The new findings are clear – The Liverpool fans who died in the disaster were victims of gross negligence on behalf of the police.
It was also confirmed that the thousands of Liverpool fans who travelled to Hillsborough on April 15, 1989 played no role in causing the disaster. Back in 1989 and English newspaper, the Sun, had reported that drunk soccer fans were to blame. Criminal charges now may be filed.
CNN’s documentary “Hillsborough: They’ll Never Walk Alone” will screen on Wed April 27 at 1900 GMT and Thu April 28 at 1100 GMT
David Cameron, the leader of the Conservative Party who became British Prime Minister in May 2010, has followed this tragedy for nearly three decades announced that Liverpool fans were utterly blameless for the deaths which took place in Hillsborough. The nightmare is often referred to as the Hillsborough tragedy. “”Today was a landmark moment in the quest for justice for the 96 Liverpool fans who died on that dreadful day in April 1989. It is also a long overdue day,” said Cameron.
Timeline of Review – CNN Fast Facts
How could fans ever have been blamed for this human tragedy?
Top image: Liverpool Hillsborough Tragedy photo credit: mrmichaelangelo – Shutterstock.com
