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Hillsborough: Cameron Says Sorry To Families
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Hillsborough: Cameron Says Sorry To Families
bb1 Wed Sep 12, 2012 8:41 pm
http://news.sky.com/story/984232/hillsborough-cameron-says-sorry-to-families
Hillsborough: Cameron Says Sorry To Families
An orchestrated police campaign to wrongly blame Liverpool fans for the Hillsborough disaster is laid bare in an official report.
David Cameron has apologised for the "double injustice" suffered by families of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster.
The Prime Minister was addressing Parliament about a new inquiry's findings - which document the many failures of the authorities and show police and emergency services made "strenuous attempts" to cover up their own failings and deflect the blame onto innocent fans.
"What happened that day was wrong," he told MPs.
"On behalf of the Government, and indeed of our country, I am profoundly sorry that this double injustice has been left uncorrected for so long.
"...Not enough people in this country understand what the people of Merseyside have been through.
"This appalling death toll of so many loved ones lost was compounded by an attempt to blame the victims.
"A narrative about hooliganism on that day was created which led many in the country to accept that it was somehow a grey area.
"Today's report is black and white. The Liverpool fans 'were not the cause of the disaster'."
Ninety six Liverpool supporters died in a crush at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium on April 15, 1989, where their team were to meet Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup semi-final.
Dr Bill Kirkup, part of a panel set up to pore through more than 400,000 official documents relating to the disaster, also revealed upon the documents' publication that as many as 41 of the 96 victims had "the potential to survive".
Mr Cameron said the new evidence raised "must be examined", and that it would be studied by the Attorney General before a decision was made on whether to quash victims' initial inquest verdict of accidental death.
The inquiry's findings featured a number of revelations, including:
:: Police record checks were carried out on those who had died in an effort to "impugn" their character.
:: Blood alcohol levels of victims - including children - were taken by the coroner.
:: 116 of the 164 police statements identified for "substantive amendment" were "amended to remove or alter comments unfavourable to South Yorkshire Police".
:: South Yorkshire Ambulance Service documents were "subject to the same process".
:: The turnstiles were inadequate, ground capacity had been significantly over-calculated and the crush barriers failed to meet safety standards.
96 people died in the 1989 tragedy
The panel also said it found no evidence that supported allegations made at the time of:
:: exceptional levels of drunkenness, ticketlessness or violence among Liverpool fans.
:: fans conspiring to arrive late at the stadium.
:: fans stealing from the dead and dying.
Introducing the report to the Hillsborough families at the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool, Bishop James Jones, the Bishop of Liverpool and chairman of the panel, said: "The documents disclosed to and analysed by the panel show that the tragedy should never have happened.
"There were clear operational failures in response to the disaster and in its aftermath there were strenuous attempts to deflect the blame onto the fans.
"The panel's detailed report shows how vulnerable victims, survivors and their families are when transparency and accountability are compromised."
"My colleagues and I were, from the start of our work, impressed by the dignified determination of the families."
Asked how many of those who died could have been saved had there been an adequate response from emergency services, Dr Kirkup said: "In total, 41 (victims) had potential to survive after the period of 3.15pm (the cut-off point imposed at the original inquest).
"What I can't say, because it would take a properly constituted body that the panel isn't, is how many of those could, in actuality, have been saved.
"But I can say the potential was of that order of magnitude."
Hillsborough Families Support Group member Trevor Hicks, who lost two daughters at Hillsborough, said the group would now press for criminal action against those involved in the disaster, adding: "The truth is out today, justice starts tomorrow."
Mr Hicks said the Hillsborough Independent Panel's report revealed shocking "depths of depravity" in the way the police tried to blame the fans after the disaster.
Current South Yorkshire Chief Constable David Crompton said in a statement: "I am profoundly sorry for the way the force failed on April 15 1989 and I am doubly sorry for the injustice that followed and I apologise to the families of the 96 and Liverpool fans.
"I think that if people are shown to have acted criminally then they should face prosecution."
Kelvin Mackenzie was editor of The Sun newspaper when the tragedy happened and oversaw a notorious front page story - with the headline 'The Truth' - containing many of the claims that have now been discredited by the report.
In response to the report's findings, Mr Mackenzie said in a statement: "Today I offer my profuse apologies to the people of Liverpool for that headline."
Sheffield Wednesday have also issued a statement apologising for the first time to families of victims.
Liverpool's manager on the day of the disaster, Kenny Dalglish, wrote on his Twitter page: "Very positive outcome. 23 yrs waiting for the truth next step justice."
And Phil Thompson, who was Liverpool coach at the time of the tragedy, tweeted: "To an awful lot of people now you understand why we couldn't just get over it."
Hillsborough: Cameron Says Sorry To Families
An orchestrated police campaign to wrongly blame Liverpool fans for the Hillsborough disaster is laid bare in an official report.
David Cameron has apologised for the "double injustice" suffered by families of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster.
The Prime Minister was addressing Parliament about a new inquiry's findings - which document the many failures of the authorities and show police and emergency services made "strenuous attempts" to cover up their own failings and deflect the blame onto innocent fans.
"What happened that day was wrong," he told MPs.
"On behalf of the Government, and indeed of our country, I am profoundly sorry that this double injustice has been left uncorrected for so long.
"...Not enough people in this country understand what the people of Merseyside have been through.
"This appalling death toll of so many loved ones lost was compounded by an attempt to blame the victims.
"A narrative about hooliganism on that day was created which led many in the country to accept that it was somehow a grey area.
"Today's report is black and white. The Liverpool fans 'were not the cause of the disaster'."
Ninety six Liverpool supporters died in a crush at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium on April 15, 1989, where their team were to meet Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup semi-final.
Dr Bill Kirkup, part of a panel set up to pore through more than 400,000 official documents relating to the disaster, also revealed upon the documents' publication that as many as 41 of the 96 victims had "the potential to survive".
Mr Cameron said the new evidence raised "must be examined", and that it would be studied by the Attorney General before a decision was made on whether to quash victims' initial inquest verdict of accidental death.
The inquiry's findings featured a number of revelations, including:
:: Police record checks were carried out on those who had died in an effort to "impugn" their character.
:: Blood alcohol levels of victims - including children - were taken by the coroner.
:: 116 of the 164 police statements identified for "substantive amendment" were "amended to remove or alter comments unfavourable to South Yorkshire Police".
:: South Yorkshire Ambulance Service documents were "subject to the same process".
:: The turnstiles were inadequate, ground capacity had been significantly over-calculated and the crush barriers failed to meet safety standards.
96 people died in the 1989 tragedy
The panel also said it found no evidence that supported allegations made at the time of:
:: exceptional levels of drunkenness, ticketlessness or violence among Liverpool fans.
:: fans conspiring to arrive late at the stadium.
:: fans stealing from the dead and dying.
Introducing the report to the Hillsborough families at the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool, Bishop James Jones, the Bishop of Liverpool and chairman of the panel, said: "The documents disclosed to and analysed by the panel show that the tragedy should never have happened.
"There were clear operational failures in response to the disaster and in its aftermath there were strenuous attempts to deflect the blame onto the fans.
"The panel's detailed report shows how vulnerable victims, survivors and their families are when transparency and accountability are compromised."
"My colleagues and I were, from the start of our work, impressed by the dignified determination of the families."
Asked how many of those who died could have been saved had there been an adequate response from emergency services, Dr Kirkup said: "In total, 41 (victims) had potential to survive after the period of 3.15pm (the cut-off point imposed at the original inquest).
"What I can't say, because it would take a properly constituted body that the panel isn't, is how many of those could, in actuality, have been saved.
"But I can say the potential was of that order of magnitude."
Hillsborough Families Support Group member Trevor Hicks, who lost two daughters at Hillsborough, said the group would now press for criminal action against those involved in the disaster, adding: "The truth is out today, justice starts tomorrow."
Mr Hicks said the Hillsborough Independent Panel's report revealed shocking "depths of depravity" in the way the police tried to blame the fans after the disaster.
Current South Yorkshire Chief Constable David Crompton said in a statement: "I am profoundly sorry for the way the force failed on April 15 1989 and I am doubly sorry for the injustice that followed and I apologise to the families of the 96 and Liverpool fans.
"I think that if people are shown to have acted criminally then they should face prosecution."
Kelvin Mackenzie was editor of The Sun newspaper when the tragedy happened and oversaw a notorious front page story - with the headline 'The Truth' - containing many of the claims that have now been discredited by the report.
In response to the report's findings, Mr Mackenzie said in a statement: "Today I offer my profuse apologies to the people of Liverpool for that headline."
Sheffield Wednesday have also issued a statement apologising for the first time to families of victims.
Liverpool's manager on the day of the disaster, Kenny Dalglish, wrote on his Twitter page: "Very positive outcome. 23 yrs waiting for the truth next step justice."
And Phil Thompson, who was Liverpool coach at the time of the tragedy, tweeted: "To an awful lot of people now you understand why we couldn't just get over it."
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Re: Hillsborough: Cameron Says Sorry To Families
Pedro Silva Thu Sep 13, 2012 12:03 pm
Pedro Silva- Slayer of scums
- Join date : 2011-06-26
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