Greater Manchester Police have released footage of the fan protests that led to the postponement of Manchester United vs Liverpool in May 2021.
The Premier League clash was initially delayed before being called off due to what the club described as 'safety and security considerations', following a breach of Old Trafford's gates in which hundreds of fans stormed through. Red Devils fans were initially protesting against the Glazer family, but matters turned ugly as tensions flared closing in on the 4,30pm kick-off time.
GMP had put security in place to manage the planned peaceful protests, but as numbers grew, officers are said to have been assaulted with glass bottles, flares and safety barriers. 36 were injured in total, with one suffering a severe facial injury that required hospital treatment. Inside Old Trafford, damage exceeded £70,000 as cameras and other equipment were trashed.
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In a statement released on Friday, the police force revealed they had charged a total of 41 individuals for offences including assault, criminal damage and burglary. Most received football banning orders.
Assistant Chief Constable Wasim Chaudhry, said: “Our officers put their lives on the line every day to keep the people of Greater Manchester safe, and it is absolutely shameful that anyone would willingly assault an emergency worker. We simply will not tolerate this happening.
"This incident also happened in the midst of the pandemic, when our emergency services were already stretched trying to reach those who needed us the most.
“I hope these people feel ashamed of their actions and have some sense of remorse. I would like to add that GMP are fully aware that the majority of football supporters act in a respectful manner, and we thank those people."
Another two defendants are due to appear before the courts in December 2022 and April 2023.
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