Section 27: new dodgy laws being used against football fans

editor · #1 29-12-2008, 21:47

It's just like the CJA all over again:

Quote:

Relying on section 27 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act, the Greater Manchester Police

rounded up 80 Stoke City fans who had stopped at a pub on the way to a match at Old Trafford on 15 November.

Although the fans were well-behaved and the pub landlord had no complaints, supporters were detained for up to four hours and transported by the police back to Stoke-on-Trent on coaches, missing the game.

Deprived of toilet facilities on the coach, the supporters were instructed to urinate into cups, which spilled over the floor of the bus so that they had to sit with urine sloshing around their feet for the 40 mile journey back...

Malcolm Clarke, chair of the FSF, said:
"This legislation was clearly designed to allow the moving on of individuals or small groups misbehaving under the influence of alcohol. It was not designed to enable police to impose football banning orders at will across entire counties."

"Section 27 gives police instant power to walk all over the civil rights of supporters if they happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. No evidence appears to be needed, and no crime needs to have been committed." "I would encourage any supporter who has been an unjustified victim of Section 27 to get in touch with the FSF and make their voice heard. We are taking this very, very seriously."

Relahni · #2 29-12-2008, 22:53

Section 27 in effect means no drinking at football matches?

Section 27 was meant to remove individuals from an area where an alcohol related crime or disorder is or is likely to be committed.

How do you interpret that? The landlord had no complaints, so it's not likely a crime was committed?

Future alcholic crimes. ffs.

aylee · #3 30-12-2008, 23:37

A few class actions against police forces should establish that this power should not be utilised where there is no evidence that violence is likely to result. It is clear that section 27 wasn't intended for use in such circumstances, otherwise the police could close any pub they wanted to close on a whim.

Stopping drunken twats bottling each other at closing time is one thing - stopping football fans who aren't causing any trouble from having a drink is quite another and is out of order.

FridgeMagnet · #4 30-12-2008, 23:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by aylee

A few class actions against police forces should establish that this power should not be utilised where there is no evidence that violence is likely to result.

It seems like the FSF is trying to compile details in order to do just that... http://www.fsf.org.uk/news/Section-2...ved-on-you.php