Why blame a 60 year old man for his actions when you can blame Barber-out?
Remember though, never, never ever, blame Barbie's employer.
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[Albion] Marseille fans
- Thread starter Common as Mook
- Start date
Remember though, never, never ever, blame Barbie's employer.
Horses Arse
Well-known member
Certainly premeditated - pretty sure he didn't find it left on his seat just as we scored!
But comparing the reaction to away fans AT THE SAME SODDING GAME and doing far worse is not whataboutery.
Punishing your own fans whilst accepting a free for all in your own ground needs calling out as it is wrong.
I hope to see that action has been taken against the marseille fans to prove me wrong on this.
Feel sorry for the 60 year old from Lewes. Someone probably set the smoke bomb off and rolled it down the stand a bit so they wouldn’t get in trouble. He’s picked it up and chucked it to help the stewards dispose of it and has ended up being arrested!*
* No idea of this is the case but is plausible
* No idea of this is the case but is plausible
TomandJerry
Well-known member
- Oct 1, 2013
- 12,323
The thing is that he was arrested, we don't know if he was arrested during the game or after the game, or if he even got arrested away from the Amex.
The other big difference is that he threw it onto the pitch, whereas the French fans didn't. I absolutely understand they had a lot more flares though etc.
Did the police track down the man from Lewes without acknowledgement from the club? Probably not, unless perhaps he was arrested during or just after the game.
Colonel Mustard
Well-known member
- Jun 18, 2023
- 2,240
I've seen no announcement about the club and police doing nothing about the Marseille fans' behaviour. It's pretty obvious that it's harder to single out individual away fans and arrest them, especially when you're trying to manage an already volatile situation, and when the fans in question are probably on their way home shortly afterwards. It may be a matter of 'just get rid of them quickly'. I don't know why people are getting on their high horse about comparing the two sets of fans. The guy from Lewes who luzzed the smoke bomb onto the pitch must know that's regarded as an offence. He's an idiot. It could have been a bottle of Coke, with or without cap. You don't throw anything onto the pitch. The police may well have decided that wading into the Marseille end to haul out individuals was unlikely to end well. I suspect the Marseille reps would have been assuring the police that they would ID the fans and take action back in France -- just as we did post-Ajax to the beer 'glass' chuckers.
Horses Arse
Well-known member
I've no idea, but look forward to hearing about the proportionate actions taken against the marseille fans though.
I'm sure if we happen to be drawn against Marseille in the league Cup next season, the individuals responsible will find they've been banned from the AMEX.
Oh, hang on...
TomandJerry
Well-known member
- Oct 1, 2013
- 12,323
Absolutely, I just don't know where the line of criminality is drawn, is it simply throwing things onto the pitch? Or setting flares off from the stands, and not throwing them onto the pitch?
mile oak
Well-known member
- May 21, 2023
- 881
Two things re the North Stand flare come to mind. 1. What would the club advise you do if a flare lands at your feet? Probably tell a Steward. Takes me nicely to point 2. What was the response from the stewards to the flare that could be seen travelling a distance before landing.
Nicks
Well-known member
Will PBOBE sack the stewards as well for letting someone in the North Stand with a Flare ?
After all it's dereliction of duty on their parts and they are guilty
After all it's dereliction of duty on their parts and they are guilty
Pogue Mahone
Well-known member
- Apr 30, 2011
- 10,946
What, all of them?
Horses Arse
Well-known member
Arrest? Illegal possession and use, creating danger to others. Why would that be accepted in one end of the ground whereas a harmless smoke bomb is pursued.
I also recall some rather weak arguments about banning albion fans for chucking beer at ajax - ajax would expect action to be taken! Are we the only club to do such things? Every fan from other clubs that have heard of this (ban for beer chucking) simply cannot believe it.
Unbelievable attitude folk have on here re punishment of albion fans, really sad.
Colonel Mustard
Well-known member
- Jun 18, 2023
- 2,240
Context is everything. I'm sure there would be operational/security reasons. Can you imagine the carnage if the police went into the crowd to seize individuals from Marseille? If someone is spotted stabbing another supporter, yes of course they would. Holding a flare? Mm, probably not worth causing a riot over. Remember that flares are partly designed to intimidate. The OM fans would have loved nothing more than to see a load of British cops jump into the crowd. You have to think of the reality of the situation.
TomandJerry
Well-known member
- Oct 1, 2013
- 12,323
Absolutely, which is why I was trying to figure out when the Brighton fan was arrested.
Did the police wade into the crowd? Arrest him on the way back to the car/train?
If the police were going to wade into the French fans to make an arrest surely it'd be easier to do it after the match?
Colonel Mustard
Well-known member
- Jun 18, 2023
- 2,240
Don't throw stuff in a football stadium. It's really not that hard to understand.
Justice
Dangerous Idiot
As a steward/OB it’s easier to arrest a pensioner in the North than risk wading into the Marseille Ultras. We probably would all take the easier option. Not saying it’s right though.
Justice
Dangerous Idiot
Excuse me I used to take great pleasure luzzing my bog roll down the Northstand and on occasion throwing up ripped up newspaper in the air when the teams came out.
Horses Arse
Well-known member
Yes, I agree. Daft to throw things.
Quick and easy question for you. Do you reckon the guy would have been arrested if he'd held it aloft and not thrown it?
Colonel Mustard
Well-known member
- Jun 18, 2023
- 2,240
My point is that it would probably be inadvisable to wade into the OM crowd at any point unless it's a very serious offence. Policing is all about assessing a situation. The two ends of the ground posed different problems yet we're pretending they were the same.
Colonel Mustard
Well-known member
- Jun 18, 2023
- 2,240
Times change!