Following on from the over zealous police tactics at our last visit to Selhurst Park, the Police have sensibly held a meeting of interested parties from the Clubs, supporters. local residents etc to see how things can go more smoothly on the night.
Whilst we all know that the Police got their post match operation wrong, they only put it in place because of the extreme damage being caused inside the stadium by our fans. We moan about how Jimmy Seed stand can sometimes get trashed, but come on, is it really necessary to take out your frustrations on a sink or WC bowl? Behave in the ground and the policing will be low key outside.
The Police still have concerns over pyros and smoke grenades, despite neither being used by either set of fans over the past year or so, so a search regime will be in place. Anyone caught using pyros / smoke grenades will be arrested and charged. This offence now carries a three month custodial sentence. You have been warned.
There are no plans to erect the metal wall outside of the stadium post match, and at the time of writing there are no plans to keep back the away fans or ‘kettle’ them post match.
If everyone behaves themselves, then everything should go relatively smoothly.
COYA
11
Comments
NB When getting our tickets on Monday. I didn't see anyone likely to cause any trouble. Although of course, that's easily said and we don't know where the other tickets will end up (the 2 per S/T rule).
There may be however, a larger Police presence within the ground
Being a school night, they'd have to clear it with their mums first of course!!
How did they get it all together in an hour or so - I assume they were questioned on this ?
You could always write to them and ask them a whole series of in depth questions as to the extent of their operational decisions on that day.
Good luck with that.
The police have these little residents consultations before big games just to show face, they'll do what they want to do and an over aggressive approach will create more trouble than it solves, as usual.
That being said I hope there's no smashing up Selhurst, that just gives them an excuse and will be used against us next time we go there and want a decent allocation.
As we got to the stadium, the wall was there already. I have no problem with that as such. The mistake was letting everyone out of the stadium and them forcing them all, regardless of whether they wanted to go anywhere near Norwood Junction, into that side road and a small area outside the stadium and then stopping them. There was simply no room to do that. Roads hadn't been cleared and people were being squashed up against fences and cars. No thought at all about Plan B!
You said that the police made the decision during the game.
They clearly didn't.
Did anyone question that ?
They had 'intelligence' prior to the game. They admitted their response was over the top. They've said it will be more low key this time, unless the action of Charlton fans pre match and during the match causes them to change that view.
They've communicated that to us and to a certain extent, the ball is now in the Charlton fans court.
Behave and the policing will be low key.
I made my (and I believe the vast majority of Charlton fans) views clear on the Police actions at the last Selhurst Park game - but it was about the upcoming game, not a post mortem of previous encounters.
Why people feel the need to smash up a loo is beyond me and is behaviour more akin to our Bermondsey brethren who we are quick to point the finger at.
10 foot steel walls outside the ground was also a disgrace, I thought I'd ventured into Northern Ireland.
I know fans were being treated like cattle, and herded around the streets, but seriously, ripping wing mirrors off of cars, and intimidating women and kids looking out of their bedroom windows, fearing for their safety, cmon Charlton fans , we' re better than that, don't drag us all down into the gutter with you.