I’ve been reading with interest and disgust the comments made by MSP Murdo Fraser about the policing of the UEFA cup final in Manchester.
Reported widely on the BBC, I read it today and was surprised to see the MSP at odds with the police already – along with both Scottish Labour and the Lib Dems:
“I thought there was an over-reaction in terms of deploying riot police which possibly enflamed the situation…” MSP Fraser, BBC New
Personally as soon as I read his comment, I though his opinion was unlikely to be true. The police certainly weren’t amused and neither was Machester council leader, Sir Richard Leese, who said:
“If you are going to put blame on anybody you put blame on those people for their behaviour – they have to take responsibility.” Sir Richard Leese, BBC News
The police, who where policing a very difficult situation it seems felt it necessary to issue riot gear to the officers on the ground in order to control the crowds. Given that the MSPs in question weren’t there, I have to wonder how they think they’re talking anything but absolute rubbish. Of course, they’ve ended up with large amounts of egg on their faces now as GMP have released CCTV footage of the crowds, shown here on the BBC website. Quite frankly, looking at that footage, I think if I was that poor officer I’d be shitting myself with a mob of violent, angry and likely drunken hooligans bearing down on me. I can only imagine what that must have been like for him and all respect to him.
Of course, the wrong and allegedly honorable MSP Fraser has now issued a statement, not to camera this time, where according to the Beeb, he’s had to “temper his comments”. Apparently, after viewing the CCTV “the situation was more serious than [he] first suspected” and “The attacks on police officers and paramedics are deplorable and have to be condemned without reservation.”
So apart from thinking that the hooligans involved in the violence and riots should be strung up, I have to admit that my opinion of this MSP is now very low given that he seems to think he can judge a situation better than trained and experienced officers on the ground. Idiot.
He’s playing to the home crowd, Scottish fans being beaten up in an English city and all that. Of course if it had been English fans in Scotland it would been a symptom of the English disease (football thuggery).
I’ll turn off cynic mode now.
Think I’m with you on this one. Another example of what can happen when too many people imbibe too much alcohol & are confined to too small a space. Not to mention too little weather for which Manchester is renowned. Now if it had been raining . . .
Maybe the FA should schedule games for earlier in the day – less pre-match drinking time. & stuff the TV moguls who want evening games to broadcast live.
Otherwise I’m with Korenwolf – the MSPs ‘reaction’ is but another expression of the stupid tribalism which infects far too many, & political irresponsibility. Why make a contribution when you can score with cheap political jibes?
As for taking responsibility? Come on, who does that these days? Apart from terrorist groups?