Saturday 15th April 1989 – that day will long live in the memory of football fans. The disaster at Hillsborough when Liverpool met Nottingham Forest in the semi-final of the FA Cup. Thousands turned up to the game that day; 96 didn’t return. Typing then sent chills down my spine. No fan deserves to go to a game and not return.
It was a horrible day for Liverpool and football, with fans of the Reds condemned for their actions; accusations that would later prove ill-founded. Supporters had the finer pointed squarely at them. Claims had been made of Liverpool fans urinating on police and pick pocketing the dead under a headline banner ‘The Truth’ by one major news print.
They couldn’t have been further from it. Kelvin Mackenzie, then editor of this newspaper, has profusely apologised for his actions that day, but as many will agree; it’s “too little, too late”. Indeed it was unsurprising that on Wednesday 12th September 2012, Liverpool fans were completely exonerated from their supposed actions that eventful afternoon in Sheffield.
Prime Minister David Cameron launched a scathing attacking in his damning statement on those responsible for what has been dubbed the biggest cover-up in recent history. 23 years it has taken for the truth to come out. To put that into context, I was 11 months old when Hillsborough happened. I’m now 24.
It has taken that long for the lies to be put right and for Liverpool to be completely vindicated for their supposed actions that day. But the truth is just the start. Justice must swiftly follow and be brought down hard on those responsible for what happened at Hillsborough. Hearing the findings of the Independent Panel was difficult to absorb, especially the key figures; 164 statements amended, while 56 of the 96 could’ve survived.
It goes to show the great lengths that the police went to, to cover this up. The evidence is damning. A fresh inquest will be requested and those that aided in the cover-up will face justice soon. Credit must go to those Liverpool fans that fought the truth right up until the very end. They knew they were right and battled hard and long for 23 years. Only now can the light be seen at the end of the tunnel.
Justice for the 96.
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