Final whistle-blowers
Reporter: BEATRIZ AYALA
Date published: 17 March 2009
Public praised over football hooligan appeal
OLDHAMERS have been thanked for helping police arrest five suspected hooligans in connection with rioting during last year’s UEFA Cup final in Manchester.
Officers arrested five men on suspicion of violent disorder yesterday. The suspects were then held at Chadderton police station — purely for logistical reasons, according to police chiefs — for questioning.
All five, from Strathclyde, Scotland, have now been bailed — four until June 2 and one until June 7. A total of 10 people have been arrested so far, nine from Scotland and one from Essex.
Arrests relate to violent disorder in the city centre and one incident inside the City of Manchester Stadium. An estimated 150,000 Rangers fans invaded Manchester for the Glasgow club’s match with Russian side Zenit St Petersburg.
Many supporters had been drinking heavily all day before rioting broke out after a big screen in Piccadilly Gardens failed shortly before the 7.45pm kick-off.
Hundreds of Rangers fans then clashed with police in hours of running battles in Manchester city centre.
Greater Manchester Police were inundated with calls from the public after posting CCTV photographs of dozens of people believed to have been involved in the disorder on May 14, last year. The images were also printed in the Chronicle and the appeal featured on BBC’s “Crimewatch”. The police website received 30,000 hits in the first few hours of going live and a total of 300 names were given for the 49 images released.
Members of the public were thanked for the “absolutely amazing” response to the images without which the arrests would not have been made.
Det supt Geoff Wessell, leading the operation, said: “The response from the national publicity was overwhelming.”
Police are tracking 55 hooligans and have warned of further arrests in the coming days and weeks.
Det Supt Wessell added: “The operation to bring those responsible to justice has been large and complex, but we have to remember that we were dealing with wanton violence on a large scale.
“Trouble of that magnitude takes time to investigate properly and it cannot be allowed to go unpunished.
“We want these arrests to send out a clear message — if you bring violence to the streets of Manchester, the police will stop at nothing to bring you to justice.”
Anyone with information should call the dedicated hotline on 0161-856 4034.
