Larger Matches Bring More Trouble and Violence

Only two weeks after the violance of the Rovers v Swindon match, Saturday 12 May 2007 saw yet more violence as up to 150 Rovers fans clashed with police after the Rovers v Lincoln City match. The Bristol Evening Post reported:

Up to 150 Bristol Rovers fans clashed with riot police in a running battle which saw Gloucester Road closed to the public.

For 30 minutes they clashed, turning Gloucester Road into a no-go area. Eventually, after repeated warnings, police in full riot gear charged the crowd.

Violence centred around the John Cabot pub on Gloucester rd. The Inn on the Green which saw the worst violence two weeks ago was not admitting anyone wearing a football shirt and the Wellington Inn was closed before and after the match.

Dave Harper, safety officer for Bristol Rovers, said: "Unfortunately most clubs now have this element of people with no real interest in the football club.

"Their only interest is in fighting and using football to carry out their objective.

"Many of them are probably banned from the club anyway, but they spend their time near the ground looking for trouble."

This demonstrates that there is no way of controlling the trouble really - all Rovers can do is ban from the ground but the perpetrators have to actually cause trouble and sustain damage before police can do something.

Most disturbing for public safety. We now see that with local pubs closing prior to matches there's also an economic price to pay. Local businesses are suffering as well as quiet, respectable neighbourhood pubs being affected which impacts on quality of life for local residents and visitors.

It's all very well criticising the police, but part of their role is to get the situation under control with a firm hand to protect the public, which Rovers clearly aren't doing. Police duties in the grounds are paid for by club but what about outside? Does this come from the public purse and if so how long will it be before our council tax goes up again? Good for Bristol as a whole?

In the event that the behaviour we've seen from troublemakers can't be controlled, how long will it be, and what will it take for authorities to listen to locals and overturn this decision to expand. The authorities have yet to demonstrate that they can cope with the existing problems.

Note "Safer Bristol" council initiative with police was criticised by GOSW (Government Office of the South West) lately at Social Development Scrutiny Commission on seeing that council had done little other than pat itself on the back when in fact they fell short of the mark in key areas.

The argument goes that there are a few rotten eggs spoiling it for everyone but this is not simply one or two isolated incidents. On the day of the Swindon match there were fights taking place in many locations around the area. The Bristol Observer had a photograph of Swindon fans being escorted by police on Cheltenham Road (presumably for their own protection), while local eye witnesses saw brawling on Purdown Green and in the car park opposite the bottom of Shaldon Road where the police stood by and simply watched.

More worrying, from the safety point of view, a resident of Alton Road reported that an official ground supervisor was forced to let a group of Swindon fans in at the Alton Road gate because they were being chased by Rovers supporters. This account was backed up by a police officer in full riot gear. Alton Road is, for safety reasons, designated as an emergency exit only, and this constitutes a worrying breach of safety standards, occasioned by loutish behaviour on the part of Rovers supporters.

Inspector Andy Coote of Avon & Somerset police has reported that Horfield suffers 50% more 'primary acquisitive crime ' (burglary, theft, in-car theft) than other areas. Many letters in support of the development proposals mentioned a 'community police station' in the stadium. Delivery of police service will be compromised by inadequate base facilities, and what is proposed is in fact little more than a small police operations room. The police have also expressed concerns about traffic management issues, access etc.