Police defend their actions after complaints from Portsmouth fans of ‘excessive’ use of batons after the game against Millwall was postponed.
A power outage in the area of Fratton Park and safety reasons meant the game was unable to go ahead, but there have been complaints about the police, who have defended their actions by stating that they were responding to disorder among fans in Goldsmith Avenue.
They claim that their use of force was necessary to restore order after a small group of fans were involved in a scrap.
Now, according to police statements, no arrests were made during the incident despite the complaints with chief Inspector Stuart Ratcliffe saying the game was considered high-risk, and comprehensive policing strategies were in place to manage potential conflicts between both sets of supporters.
The police add that their intervention was to prevent further escalation and ensure the safety of all fans as they left the ground.
Pompey – Millwall last Wednesday pic.twitter.com/cIlVmdL65G
— Casual Chaps 🇬🇧 (@CasualChaps) December 1, 2024
@PompeyTrust tweeted on the 28th of November: “We have already received several concerning reports about policing following the cancellation of last night’s game. Fans have reported seeing police using excessive force, including the use of batons.
“If you witnessed anything concerning, please send an account to info@pompeytrust.com. We will compile these reports and share them with the club, the police and the EFL.”
Hampshire Police have defended their actions, as reported by The News, Portsmouth, saying they had been restoring order after a small minority of fans were scrapping in Goldsmith Avenue, and confirm no arrests were made.
Chief Inspector Stuart Ratcliffe had said: “This was deemed a high-risk fixture and sufficient plans and resources were put in place in order to minimise the opportunity for disorder between home and away fans; especially during periods of ingress into and egress from the stadium.
“Prior to kick-off, officers were on patrol in and around the vicinity of Fratton Park to ensure that any away fans were safely escorted into the ground.
“The early postponement of the match was unexpected. Our policing operation moved to support the club in ensuring the safe egress of fans away from the ground – with public safety of utmost importance in situations such as these. Officers did everything within their power to support the club during this period.
“We received reports of disorder on Goldsmith Avenue between home and away fans during the period of egress from the stadium. Officers acted accordingly to deal with the disorder which enabled them to defuse the situation effectively and prevent any further escalation of tensions or actions from the small minority seeking to cause harm.
“An investigation is currently underway to ascertain if any criminal offences have occurred during this disorder. Anyone who may have been in the vicinity or may have witnessed what happened – either in the lead up to, during or in the aftermath of the disorder – is asked to contact police immediately on 101, quoting crime reference number 44240473683.
“We continue to liaise and work closely with the club and other local partners as part of our enquiries into this matter and our ongoing policing operations in relation to future Portsmouth FC fixtures.”
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Twitter users reacted as police defend their actions after complaints from Portsmouth fans of ‘excessive’ use of batons…
@LeeMasonPFC: Problem wasn’t the police using force, the problem was how they dealt with letting the Millwall fans out and then sent stewards and police storming round the ground in a panic because they had put nothing into place before letting fans out
@Peter_Dawe: It did seem like no one was prepared for the announcement. Stewards not in their usual positions for the normal end of a match, they had to suddenly jump up and reposition. It sounds like the stewards and police in the Milton End were no different. Comms appalling all round
@pfcsam: Club were right to put out info couple days before highlighting that Specks lane would not be accessible from home fans immediately after full time. Carisbrooke Road however was not mentioned. Walking down there towards Milton after the game actively saw 2 coppers on horses charging through groups swinging batons at anyone in there way. It was ridiculous.
@LeeMasonPFC: Agree. You had police trying to force their way through the section next to Tesco which is notorious for being slow moving. Maybe give the police that head start to prepare. No force was used there but just screamed that there was no thought to the safety outside the ground
@pfcsam: What shocks me is as many people have said, nobody was prepared. Club, semi understandable. A lot of the staff brought in agency etc. But police, what is it they’re exactly paid to do? How many courses do they go on to prepare for situations like last night? Read speculative reports that some people were informed by police 10 mins or more before official club announcement that game was off. Use that time to prepare. Allowing Millwall to walk side by side down Goldsmith with Pompey was the most mind boggling thing I’ve ever seen.
@DeanAlbuer29344: Shocking from the club keep away fans in the ground for 20 mins not all away fans
@willrowactor: The problem wasnt the police. It was the stadium letting the Milwall fans out too soon. The problem was dickhead fans fighting and licking police horses & swinging pubches at the police. Got it all on my dashcam. If i send it in it wont be the officers on trouble!
@philclarke0170: Reason we were ‘let out too soon’ was your club screwing up the management of a major incident then rushing to get us out to make the train.
@daniel_son79: Absolute bollocks. I witnessed home fans, just trying to cross the road to make their way home being shoved, verbally abused and twatted with batons by the police. They were massively under prepared, had no direction and lost the plot.
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