[Brighton] Sussex Police

[Monkey Man]

"Working with the police, the club’s operations staff were monitoring the congestion on CCTV monitors from the stadium control room at all times, and were able to direct staff and police on the ground to ease the congestion as quickly and as safely as possible."

Absolute bull chonk. Like a few others, I pushed my way against the tide of oncoming bodies to get to the mounted police, who, like the stewards, were chatting among themselves and seemed completely oblivious about the crush until we explained it to them in no uncertain terms.

That's when they reversed their decision, and the flow of the crowd.

 

[The Oldman]

First time at the Amex I have been crushed against other people and saw women and kids very frightened. The club or the police or both got this very wrong. It only needed one person to slip and I dread to think what would have happened.

 

[Napier]

Just received the email from the club with the post match survey in. I’ve completed it and used the comments section to say about the shambles with the barriers and the failed one way system. Suggest anyone that had a bad experience does the same.

Thanks for the heads up. Have done mine, highlighting what a shambles it was and how dangerous the exit "strategy" was from the North Stand concourse, along with the crowds at the east side. I should have added that, aside from physical danger, bottling people up like that in an enclosed space was hardly a responsible action from a Covid spread viewpoint - oh the irony of the social distancing and mask posters on the walls..........!

 

[Gilliver's Travels]

So, what was most needed, but shockingly absent from last night's shambles? COMMUNICATION!

When it comes to the successful management of large crowds, clear and timely communication is absolutely key to success. In its total absence, memories of Hillsborough come to mind, as they did last night.

This is a club that prides itself on spending millions in pursuit of the very latest technology, whether for mobile ticketing, cashless payments or electronic turnstiles.

How much would it cost to have a few loudhailers and portable LED display panels in reserve, ready to be used by club safety staff and police commanders?

 

[chimneys]

Fair enough, but it’s hardly Barber’s fault is it?

Sounds like it was very unpleasant for some last night, sadly it’s always the same when Palace come here

That email very much is his fault as either he has fired it off before knowing the full facts, or he's ignored them! A poor show either way.

 

[atomised]

There was a very clear email from the club about the match day arrangements that explained EXACTLY what was going to be put In place.

So as we are in WSU, we turned right when we were leaving to go right round the stadium, knowing that if we went the other way we would be blocked from getting to the Coach Park steps by lots of South Londoners, police horses and the like.

Like some others, we ignored the “go back, go back” stuff, hung around a couple of minutes, and then just strolled through quietly.

Really not convinced by the club’s email, because it all seemed total chaos, unnecessarily so, perhaps.

The pre match info did detail the arrangements. Previously when they have implemented the one way system, wheelchair users in South west corner have been escorted directly to the lift. I was told in a phone call that this time we would be forced to go clockwise round the ground as there would be no exceptions. I'm glad on that basis we made a late decision to give it a miss. The walk from our section to the lift barely reaches the away end. Last night's alternative would have seen us with wheelchair going right round the stadium and past the away end. Not feasible at all and fail to see why the previous work round wasn't in place

 

[portslade seagull]

Sadly there is no way the club will admit they planned something wrong, a bit like the ST scenario which is costing them lost revenue

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Evening kickoffs v Palace are always a nightmare at the Amex. Much prefer lunchtime games v that lot.

 

[dave hylands]

The club need to change there statement, and admit they made a mistake, this statement that they have put out today is an insult to our intelligence. I spoke to the command officer and was told “ that area is in the area of control covered by BHA, but they have lost control and so we are now in the process of changing the command” and “ please send any complaints to the club as they have let you as fans down”
I had a disabled young adult of which I was separated from in that crush, and having a friend die at hillsborough thought I would never see this sort of crowd control again.

 

[BNthree]

The club need to change there statement, and admit they made a mistake, this statement that they have put out today is an insult to our intelligence. I spoke to the command officer and was told “ that area is in the area of control covered by BHA, but they have lost control and so we are now in the process of changing the command” and “ please send any complaints to the club as they have let you as fans down”
I had a disabled young adult of which I was separated from in that crush, and having a friend die at hillsborough thought I would never see this sort of crowd control again.

Awful statement and anyone that was there knows the truth about the situation. Almost politician levels of spin from the club trying to save face over this.

 

[essexeagle]

Evening kickoffs v Palace are always a nightmare at the Amex. Much prefer lunchtime games v that lot.

I agree. Over the years there's been lots between the fans. As I've grown older, it gets more and more tiresome, irritating and embarrassing. Both clubs have their herberts. However, last night was possibly some of the worst I've ever seen from Palace fans. There were so many that had obviously been on the beer all day, no doubt mixed in with cocaine. Anti-social, aggressive, turning on people at the drop of a hat, throwing missiles on the pitch, invading the pitch, climbing up structures in the concourse....pretty much everything was on offer apart from actual fighting, although I'm sure that went on somewhere.

Look, I've been no angel in my youth, particularly in the 80's etc. Matches between us were always tasty and I played my part. But I don't think any of us behaved back then like the young lads do today. We (I) used to mix it with like minded individuals but there was none of the moronic indiscriminate abuse and aggression shown towards 'regular' supporters that I saw last night. It really is embarassing...

Either that, or this is just what happens when you get old...

 

[BN9 BHA]

Awful statement and anyone that was there knows the truth about the situation. Almost politician levels of spin from the club trying to save face over this.

Especially this

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Darren falling asleep again ?

Regards
DF

 

[BluesRockDJ]

Was told by a mate who is ex met who is in touch with colleagues that there were police from about four different forces brought in tonight . Lots of lovely overtime.

It's been in for decades, called "Mutual Aid"........nothing new there........how do you know they were on overtime ? I speak as ex Sussex Police who used to do the Goldstone back in the day and it was a normal working shift !

 

[redoubtable seagull]

It's been in for decades, called "Mutual Aid"........nothing new there........how do you know they were on overtime ? I speak as ex Sussex Police who used to do the Goldstone back in the day and it was a normal working shift !

Didn’t explain myself very well. The point I was trying to make, but not very well, was the suggestion of my mate who was told by a serving friend that there were more forces in support than normal.
I take it you didn’t go last night? Lol.
No way those numbers of police would be working normal shift. There was a heavy presence.

 

[Doonhamer7]

They had no idea, it took several people to tell the stewards people were being crushed to call someone on radio. As I’ve said above - get enough complaints into the police then the Police Commissioner will have to have a proper investigation - last night could have been so dangerous and made worse by police tactics. Club statement shows they didn’t get it, they create the scenario that allowed this to happen. I was in the crowd at Castle Donnigton (Monsters of Rock 1988) where two people died, it is really scary as an 19 year old and not something the elderly or those with young children want to be in.

 

[pure_white]

That’s true, after Leeds (your club?) won a landmark case against West Yorkshire Police 10 years ago.

what have Weeds Utd got to do with anything?

 

[studio150]

Just re-read the pre-match brief, and the following will be of interest.

As with previous matches against Crystal Palace, the club will be also implementing various safety measures towards the end of the match, where supporters leaving the Amex to reach the coach park, park and rides and car parks, will be directed clockwise to reach their destination.

So if you wanted to catch a train then going anti-clockwise would be acceptable, and these instructions would therefore expect a coming together at some point around the North or East stands where those going clockwise to Buses meet those going anti-clockwise for trains.

So the obvious question that needs to be answered is why did this approach not work this time.

No doubt PB will give a full and open response at the forthcoming Forum, following the internal review.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

The key thing Barber should do is not allow this to be a night time fixture again. When you have an out-of-town stadium people are rushing to get transport to avoid getting home at 2am which adds to the general chaos. To make things worse the circulation "plan" around the stadium was completely ridiculous and put people in danger, exacerbated by Police who didn't understand the plan and weren't local so didn't know where they were pushing people to.

As with discussions about other fixtures, the club don't get much say in this. However, when this was first announced I was surprised that the Police agreed to a Friday night kick off. We had a 5:30pm kick off earlier this season because Manchester police refused a lunchtime kick off and they switched the games around.

Surely Sussex police cannot have thought a Friday evening was the best time for this game unless they thought it better than having them around to disrupt the city during the weekend.

Ultimately, the police could and should have refused permission and you would hope that this will be the case in future.

 

[Winker]

When we tried to leave the NS, the NW corner was shut so that everyone surged towards the NE exit.
The NE exit was either shut or restricted so that there was a crush of fans.
When the big shutter was opened, most of the exit was blocked by an anti-bacterial board and there was a flow of people trying to enter the concourse against the flow trying to get out.
When outside we had to try and push our way through the clockwise flow heading towards the buses to get to the station. It was carnage, there were a couple of WPCs telling everyone to 'Keep calm and carry on' but nobody seemed to be in charge or know what was going on.

If only we were treated as intelligent adults instead of moronic blobs on a spreadsheet.