Hull City fans will march to Huddersfield library over hooligan 'branding'
HULL City supporters angry at "Draconian" travel restrictions imposed by West Yorkshire Police have been asked not to march on Huddersfield Town's stadium.
Instead, up to 1,000 supporters who believe they have wrongly been branded hooligans, are expected to march to the town's central library before the match on Saturday, March 30.
Fans wishing to attend the match have been told to use official Hull City coaches that will depart from the KC Stadium or park at Hartshead Moor Services on the M62, collect their tickets and be driven to John Smith's Stadium on shuttle buses.
Plans for the protest march have now been finalised by a number of Hull City supporters' groups who have formed a consortium.
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Chris Smith, spokesman for the Hull City Official Supporters' Club, said: "We made sensitive enquiries to West Yorkshire Police about marching to the John Smith's Stadium.
"But officers were, shall we say, less than lukewarm with that idea.
"So we will be forming up outside Huddersfield train station at 1.45pm, moving off at 2pm and we expect to reach the library at 2.30pm."
In front of the library, Louis Cooper, the 15-year-old Tigers fan who has hired a solicitor to threaten police with legal action for perceived discrimination, will address fans.
Mr Smith, who says he wants the march to be "peaceful with a carnival atmosphere", said: "The timing of the march will enable fans to get to the service station to board buses to the stadium."
Fans are asked to take along placards.
"I will be taking a sign that states I am a retired town clerk – not a football hooligan," said Mr Smith, who also requests fans bring soft drinks.
"We want the public to see us drinking soft drinks – not alcoholic ones."
Inside the ground, 100 T-shirts denouncing the travel restrictions will be distributed ahead of the game, which kicks off at 5.20pm.
Earlier this week, Hull City, in a strong-worded statement, accused West Yorkshire Police – who have put the match in its top security category – of an "unpalatable slur" on the club and labelled the restrictions "draconian".
13 Comments
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by vanityunfair
Friday, March 22 2013, 5:53PM
“To SnothillBaz:
Because the provision of a library service is a local authority duty unlike some things such as building sports stadia.”
by Finbarr
Thursday, March 21 2013, 9:34PM
“More sense than a bunch of losers marching to a library. Don't forget your Egyptian flags will you”
by john0906
Thursday, March 21 2013, 6:12PM
“HA Ha Finbarr must of been let out of the institution again, making no sense again as per usual”
by Finbarr
Thursday, March 21 2013, 2:35PM
“Not much heard from the 15 year old with the lawyer (funded by legal aid) !
No doubt they laughed in his face.
A protest march against restrictions on a non-public event ? Way to go guys.”
by stantheman
Thursday, March 21 2013, 1:00PM
“Only a 100% boycott of the match when WYP would be denied a pay day would change attitudes.
Its time the police stopped using football matches as a cash cow.”
by valencian
Thursday, March 21 2013, 12:59PM
“Foxache I see it the opposite way to you. The police both at the match and at this demonstration will be anxious for there to be no trouble no arrests etc. That way they can put out statements claiming that the restrictions were justified and a success. The only people they fool of course are themselves because they are the only ones stupid enough to believe it in my view. They do not think of the 2300 fans deprived of following their team or of the inconvenience thay have caused to some of those who did attend.”
by Magnumpti
Thursday, March 21 2013, 12:57PM
“I have two mates, one from Scotland and one from Romania, will they be able to attend the game as normal without any of these rules saxonking? I didn't see the bit that said the rules only applied to our white English fans.
Seriously, what have EU migrants, who coincidentally pay tax and in time claim benefits when they start to work here as is their legal right, got to do with this story?”
by saxonking
Thursday, March 21 2013, 11:54AM
“Rob, ethnic minorities have far more freedom than white English football supporters. EU migrants can travel across Europe to take jobs and benefits but tax paying Hull City supporters can't travel freely across Yorkshire to a game?”
by Rob_Nash
Thursday, March 21 2013, 10:52AM
“""We made sensitive enquiries to West Yorkshire Police about marching to the John Smith's Stadium.
"But officers were, shall we say, less than lukewarm with that idea."
If people were marching in support of some ethnic religious group the police would have fallen over themselves to help out.
Don't police have to go to the courts in order to ban marches?”
by john0906
Thursday, March 21 2013, 10:11AM
“Huddersfield fans have already announced that they are attending as they sympathise with the Hull supporters. Football fans coming together united for one cause Is ace.
The library is a short distance from the railway station both of which are in the town centre and then the stadium is a short 10 minute walk away at the most.
I think it is important as many people as possible do go and behave impeccably so the WYP cannot say "there I told you so"”