Liverpool slams wild fan celebrations: ‘Wholly unacceptable’

Liverpool fans had to wait 30 years for an English Premier League title and they seem to have gotten carried away.

The championship was followed by two nights of raucous celebrations that included fireworks and flares and ignoring social distancing regulations. It has gotten so bad, the team condemned the acts. There was even a fire that had to be put out.

“Throughout the last week, we have worked together to consistently remind people that the region is still disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and ask people to celebrate LFC’s Premier League title win safely,” Liverpool Football Club, in conjunction with Merseyside Police, Liverpool City Council and Spirit of Shankly supporters group, said in a statement. “Several thousand people turned up at the Pier Head on Friday June 26 and some chose to ignore the social distancing guidance and risk public safety. Our city is still in a public health crisis and this behavior is wholly unacceptable.”

The United Kingdom has been hardest by the novel coronavirus pandemic and the team doesn’t want to see its fans creating further problems.

“The government has made it clear this week that if people continue to ignore guidelines around mass gatherings, whether they be at beaches or beauty spots, or for celebrations like we saw last night and the night before in Liverpool, then they have the ability to close down public spaces and will close areas if necessary,” the team said. “We all understand that fans want to celebrate, but now is not the time. We need to get through this first, and know that it is safe, before any victory parade can go ahead.”Liverpool fans had to wait 30 years for an English Premier League title and they seem to have gotten carried away.

The championship was followed by two nights of raucous celebrations that included fireworks and flares and ignoring social distancing regulations. It has gotten so bad, the team condemned the acts. There was even a small fire that had to be put out.

On Friday night, Merseyside Police issued a dispersal order for Liverpool city center. This allowed police to disperse crowds who gathered on the Pier Head, after part of the Liver Building caught fire amid the wild celebrations despite the coronavirus pandemic. Videos circulating on social media showed a firework hitting the distinctive building, which is partly owned by Everton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri.

“Throughout the last week, we have worked together to consistently remind people that the region is still disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and ask people to celebrate LFC’s Premier League title win safely,” Liverpool Football Club, in conjunction with Merseyside Police, Liverpool City Council and Spirit of Shankly supporters group, said in a statement. “Several thousand people turned up at the Pier Head on Friday June 26 and some chose to ignore the social distancing guidance and risk public safety. Our city is still in a public health crisis and this behavior is wholly unacceptable.”

The United Kingdom has been hardest by the novel coronavirus pandemic, and the team doesn’t want to see its fans creating further problems.

“The government has made it clear this week that if people continue to ignore guidelines around mass gatherings, whether they be at beaches or beauty spots, or for celebrations like we saw last night and the night before in Liverpool, then they have the ability to close down public spaces and will close areas if necessary,” the team said. “We all understand that fans want to celebrate, but now is not the time. We need to get through this first, and know that it is safe, before any victory parade can go ahead.”

On Friday night, four fire engines were sent to the Liver Building, where they extinguished a blaze on a balcony, a Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said. The floor of the balcony was damaged.

Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jon Roy said two officers needed medical treatment for injuries to their backs after bottles were thrown at them as they went to help an assault victim in a crowd of supporters at the Pier Head.

He said later a group of about 100 people threw glasses and bottles at riot police as they tried to stop them committing acts of disorder in the city center. Roy said there was “a number of really violent, absolutely unacceptable, incidents of violence and disorder throughout the city center.”

Fifteen people have been arrested for public order offences and one man was arrested on suspicion of assault, he said.

— with AP