Statement following disorder at playoff match Following disorder at today's playoff match between Shrewsbury Town and Charlton Athletic, West Mercia Police has issued the statement below.
Superintendent Paul Moxley said: "Following disorder involving a small number of people at today's Shrewsbury Town v Charlton Athletic playoff match, police officers were required to assist stewards to prevent a small minority of poorly behaved people from confronting one another. Due to the deteriorating behaviour of a small group of individuals, PAVA (commonly known as pepper spray) had to be deployed to restore order.
"We will be analysing CCTV footage of the disorder in an effort to identify those responsible and will take robust action where individuals are identified. This type of behaviour from a small minority impacts on the enjoyment of the vast majority of genuine supporters and it will not be tolerated.
"As is always the case following any use of force, a review will be undertaken to ensure it was proportionate"
A 30-year-old man from London was arrested on suspicion of affray and remains in police custody
I appreciate that after a use of force they review their actions. How serious are those internal reviews? I genuinely have no idea, but credit to them for doing that.
Also, thanks to @Covered End and @A-R-T-H-U-R for their eyewitness accounts. It seems that what we did not see in the initial video is what led up to the Pepper spray, and that is very important.
The use of pepper spray by two cops where they're just sort of firing it off aimlessly at people who have long backed off still looks ridiculous. But it seems ridiculous actions also lead to them being in that situation.
I was sitting 7 rows back from my 8 year old who was sat down the front with two of my sisters and a 7 year old nephew and 9 year old niece . My 12 year old was with me another sister and 17 year old nephew . Right where it all kicked off. I can see my grey Barnet clambering over to get to them . My sister got bumped badly by a drunken twat of a Charlton fan and the kids shit themselves and were scared . My 12 year old thought I was climbing down to get involved ffs and tried to pull me back . I got down to the kids and the Charlton fans who weren’t looking for a ruck down the front were great saying move along and sit away from agg Then the pepper spray must have been fired and by this time my 12 year old had come down and he was small choking and my eyes were stinging a bit , so we moved right away from all the testosterone and got to the other end . My sister and her 2 kids left 15 mins before the end Cos they were scared and I left with my 2 bang on the final whistle , thank fuck the 6 year old ratted and stayed at home .
Spoke on the way home and Asked them both if we get in play offs next year if they’d wanna come to the away leg and both said no , which is pretty sad .
I mean they scored a massive goal and went over the top celebrating but what did anyone expect .
Sad times
Sorry to hear that, it’s shit when kids are affected by this sort of aggro.
Seen reports of pepper spray, CE being used during the game? What happened?
Our fans were getting proper lairy when they scored and police were struggling to hold them back so proper sprayed them to get them to move back. It worked .
What made me laugh in all this the fat little prick in the orange T shirt ,who was gobby in the pub before too, came on the pitch 2/3 times and definitely punched a charlton fan then got one back from a charlton fan who was promptly nicked . The police let that bloke in orange go back into stand
Police all wrong, Shrewbury fans scum. Charlton fans wouldn't have ran on the pitch to try and go at them if they weren't allowed to run on and jump at us. Charlton pepper sprayed and had dogs out for us at the end whilst they were again allowed to goad us. Police absolute shocking today. Proud of all CAFC there today.
Where was the policing of the home fans in this video? Even after it ended and they had moved all the stewards from around the ground to that corner, they continued to only police the away fans despite the fact they invaded the pitch. I would like to know the operational reasoning behind this and why officers continued to spray fans after they had retreated. Non-existent stewarding and over-zealous policing. It was caused by people not doing the job they were paid to.
Where was the policing of the home fans in this video? Even after it ended and they had moved all the stewards from around the ground to that corner, they continued to only police the away fans despite the fact they invaded the pitch. I would like to know the operational reasoning behind this and why officers continued to spray fans after they had retreated. Non-existent stewarding and over-zealous policing. It was caused by people not doing the job they were paid to.
SOP to contain the smaller threat, form a barrier around the smaller numbers.
I don't agree. We were sitting in the 4th row at the very end of that block & so directly in front of where it all kicked off.
Yes, the Shrewsbury fans started it by spilling onto the pitch & taunting us, but most of them were soon herded back into their stand. Our lot were so intent on getting at them the stewards were soon overwhelmed & so the ob had to be deployed. Even then our lot wouldn't back down & decided the ob were then the target. I estimate 30-40 fans were involved & it got so bad that the ob had no choice but to resort to using pepper spray. Not only was the hoarding complety ripped out of the ground but the concrete area around it was damaged too.....to me it resembled the scene at Hillsborough where you see bent & crumpled barriers. We were mildly affected by the pepper spray ourselves & could feel it at the back our throats.
So bad was the disturbance that we missed the fact that we had brought on Kaikai & Mavididi - never heard the sub announcements & only knew they were on about 10 mins later.
The ob gave as good as they got imo. I'm not going to go down the route of saying our lot were disgraceful etc - its what happens (very occasionly I'm glad to say) when beer-ed up 20 somethings are looking for trouble. It could easy be a city centre at closing time. However, I have no sympathy for any of those caught up in it. They had it coming.
I thing it did do was brighten up a very predictable result. Golfie Jnr wont forget it in a hurry.....
I was sitting 7 rows back from my 8 year old who was sat down the front with two of my sisters and a 7 year old nephew and 9 year old niece . My 12 year old was with me another sister and 17 year old nephew . Right where it all kicked off. I can see my grey Barnet clambering over to get to them . My sister got bumped badly by a drunken twat of a Charlton fan and the kids shit themselves and were scared . My 12 year old thought I was climbing down to get involved ffs and tried to pull me back . I got down to the kids and the Charlton fans who weren’t looking for a ruck down the front were great saying move along and sit away from agg Then the pepper spray must have been fired and by this time my 12 year old had come down and he was small choking and my eyes were stinging a bit , so we moved right away from all the testosterone and got to the other end . My sister and her 2 kids left 15 mins before the end Cos they were scared and I left with my 2 bang on the final whistle , thank fuck the 6 year old ratted and stayed at home .
Spoke on the way home and Asked them both if we get in play offs next year if they’d wanna come to the away leg and both said no , which is pretty sad .
I mean they scored a massive goal and went over the top celebrating but what did anyone expect .
Sad times
That's terrible so sorry to hear that you and your kids got mixed up in it! So sad that it's scared your children too, horrible thing to experience
A lot of people slagging off Charlton fans on here but I ask why the police did not move the goading Shrewsbury fans to another part of the ground earlier thus averting the very incident that happened.
A lot of people slagging off Charlton fans on here but I ask why the police did not move the goading Shrewsbury fans to another part of the ground earlier thus averting the very incident that happened.
The Shrewsbury fans were on the pitch and taunting us your honour. So we had no other course of action to take other than to rush down to the corner of the stand from our seats to try and get to them.
I don't agree. We were sitting in the 4th row at the very end of that block & so directly in front of where it all kicked off.
Yes, the Shrewsbury fans started it by spilling onto the pitch & taunting us, but most of them were soon herded back into their stand. Our lot were so intent on getting at them the stewards were soon overwhelmed & so the ob had to be deployed. Even then our lot wouldn't back down & decided the ob were then the target. I estimate 30-40 fans were involved & it got so bad that the ob had no choice but to resort to using pepper spray. Not only was the hoarding complety ripped out of the ground but the concrete area around it was damaged too.....to me it resembled the scene at Hillsborough where you see bent & crumpled barriers. We were mildly affected by the pepper spray ourselves & could feel it at the back our throats.
So bad was the disturbance that we missed the fact that we had brought on Kaikai & Mavididi - never heard the sub announcements & only knew they were on about 10 mins later.
The ob gave as good as they got imo. I'm not going to go down the route of saying our lot were disgraceful etc - its what happens (very occasionly I'm glad to say) when beer-ed up 20 somethings are looking for trouble. It could easy be a city centre at closing time. However, I have no sympathy for any of those caught up in it. They had it coming.
I thing it did do was brighten up a very predictable result. Golfie Jnr wont forget it in a hurry.....
If you was watching intently at home in a room on your own your barely have noticed Kai Kai and mavididi come in mate.
To be fair the guy in the orange is a bell end, the fans from both sides trying to get at each other are being pathetic neanderthals and the policing actions appear OTT.
pepper spray way out of line - if the same thing happened at an event such as the notting hill carnival, Glastonbury, ascot there would be outrage I've been tear gassed twice ( euros 2016 ) im aware its no the same but that's uncomfortable - that seemed to be the french policing technique.
these small shitty clubs tend to get there sides taken by the police a lot.
I’m not saying our fans where saints yesterday but the mop I was stood around in the pub one being the bloke in orange and alot of the others around him in the ground were horrible scummy Jeremy Kyle stars.
In fairness that’s the third time I’ve been Shrewsbury and not seen them or had any problems so can’t tar them all with one brush but I really hope they get smashed at Wembley and disappear back down the leagues.
would be handy to relegate them next season as i think they are a one season wonder, hope rotherham go up and do the double over those Wednesday shitbags.
Comments
Also, thanks to @Covered End and @A-R-T-H-U-R for their eyewitness accounts. It seems that what we did not see in the initial video is what led up to the Pepper spray, and that is very important.
The use of pepper spray by two cops where they're just sort of firing it off aimlessly at people who have long backed off still looks ridiculous. But it seems ridiculous actions also lead to them being in that situation.
The two lads look happy having the local psycho sitting behind them.
Yes, the Shrewsbury fans started it by spilling onto the pitch & taunting us, but most of them were soon herded back into their stand. Our lot were so intent on getting at them the stewards were soon overwhelmed & so the ob had to be deployed. Even then our lot wouldn't back down & decided the ob were then the target. I estimate 30-40 fans were involved & it got so bad that the ob had no choice but to resort to using pepper spray. Not only was the hoarding complety ripped out of the ground but the concrete area around it was damaged too.....to me it resembled the scene at Hillsborough where you see bent & crumpled barriers. We were mildly affected by the pepper spray ourselves & could feel it at the back our throats.
So bad was the disturbance that we missed the fact that we had brought on Kaikai & Mavididi - never heard the sub announcements & only knew they were on about 10 mins later.
The ob gave as good as they got imo. I'm not going to go down the route of saying our lot were disgraceful etc - its what happens (very occasionly I'm glad to say) when beer-ed up 20 somethings are looking for trouble. It could easy be a city centre at closing time. However, I have no sympathy for any of those caught up in it. They had it coming.
I thing it did do was brighten up a very predictable result. Golfie Jnr wont forget it in a hurry.....
So we had no other course of action to take other than to rush down to the corner of the stand from our seats to try and get to them.
Seriously, though, welcome to our world. Although someone seems to have removed the much coveted filter.
these small shitty clubs tend to get there sides taken by the police a lot.
In fairness that’s the third time I’ve been Shrewsbury and not seen them or had any problems so can’t tar them all with one brush but I really hope they get smashed at Wembley and disappear back down the leagues.