The Arsenal Independent Supporters’ Association (AISA) has written to the Spanish government urging a review of the policing methods that Arsenal fans experienced in Madrid before and after the recent Europa League semi-final with Atletico Madrid.
A letter to the Spanish ambassador in London details the ‘inexcusable’ treatment endured by Gunners fans visiting the Wanda Metropolitano. Earlier in the season, supporters of Chelsea and Liverpool experienced similar aggression from local police in Barcelona and Sevilla respectively.
“Without any provocation police officers hit Arsenal fans with their batons, amongst them women, children and older supporters,” AISA chair Lois Langton said.
“The police also wouldn’t permit Arsenal supporters to use the toilets post-match without reason, explication or previous notice.
“The violence of the police officers was inexcusable,” AISA say. “Police officers have an obligation to comport themselves using force only when necessary and proportionate to protect themselves and the public.
“In Madrid that night the behaviour of some police officers was that of violent uniformed thugs.”
AISA wants an independent investigation into the behaviour of Madrid’s police.
The Football Supporters’ Federation (The FSF) report that Football Supporters Europe continues to monitor the experience of travelling fans on the continent, “lobbying UEFA for higher standards of policing and stewarding across the Champions League and Europa League.”
‘wouldn’t permit Arsenal supporters to use the toilets post-match without reason, explication or previous notice.’
Isn’t saying you need a pee enough?
Read the sentence again.
Agreed it was disgraceful from the madrid police,but just one thing.. why would arsenal supporters need to use the toilets without “reason”? If they are so in the mood for a quicky,finding a motel nearby should be easy enough…
They’re saying that fans were barred from the toilets without reason, not that they were trying to use them without reason.
I was at the game and five minutes before the end the police guarded the exits and wouldn’t let us out. Anyone who asked to go to the loo was given short shrift and we were kept back for ages & has to wait till the Madrid players did a lap of celebration.
It was all heavy handed to say the least.
I live in Barcelona and saw first hand the way the Spanish police treated those who wished to put voting slips in ballot boxes peacefully last October.
They hark back to the days of Fascist Spain, truly a monstrous institution.
Feel sorry for our fans as it sounded like unforgivably abominable treatment. You would think that having home advantage already favours their team. Why would the police dish out such unjust acts? Unless they think they wouldn’t be called out.
Not sure why women belong to the same class as children and older people there.
Brutality is brutality. If this is an accurate description it’s a diplomatic issue imo. British citizens targeted by the police of another state. Not a good look.
Get that social justice warrior crap out of here. Yes, it IS more appalling for women to have been treated brutally by the police then if it had been only men.
Jeremy, please, feel free to explain why that is true.
Are we ever to be told why we have post our thumbs or have I missed it?
that’s *lost btw
They’re back btw. It was a glitch. I rather enjoyed this place without them.
I’m also an Aberdeen FC fan, being from the granite city. A bunch of us went out to Madrid for a Europa League game back in 2007 (we lost 2-0). The police were absolutely savage then too. My friend got smacked in the leg with a truncheon, for genuinely no reason, and has never fully recovered from it. They can be complete power hungry cunt bags.
Meanwhile other Madrid also did a number on every media pundit in England’s favorite ‘project’ club.
Third consecutive win for Zizou.
Liverpool blown away with their Gherkin press by Bale.
He’s available just saying.
Struggling to think if Liverpool have actually won anything with Klopp or is he another Ponchenttino, perceived as progressive and shiny bc he listens to rock and roll music which is err…70 year old music.
Suddenly also ran trophies of second third and fourth are the thing to have.
Not that we can say much for ourselves, can’t even get into CL these days…
Liverpool have made significant progress and it’s stupid to suggest otherwise.
Their quality and style of football, and age of the team have greatly improved over the last couple of years.
Are they the finished article? No, but they’ll attempt to correct that in the transfer market and are a level or two above us at the moment.
Liverpool….pundits verdict Project still.
Work in progress for last 26years. That’s over a quarter century since they won the league but never mind, Arsenal are always in crisis.
almost 2 months from now Arsenal will play atletico madrid in a friendly , i want arsenal to destroy atletico in that game , they are a pathetic team and except griezman none of their players compares to us. they only reason they won against us is because of wenger incompetence. we have ramsey , ozil , miki , auba , laca and a manager that can organize them so i expect arsenal to win that game at least 5 – 0.