The Tragedy of Hillsborough
Already people were dead and dying. Others were rapidly losing consciousness. The footage of the tragedy is sombre indeed, and can’t help but leave a lasting impression on anyone who sees it. With the match underway, fans were resuscitated on the sidelines while those still trapped struggled to escape; horrifically, many would lose their lives still standing. The pitch quickly filled with the injured. Meanwhile the police, confused about what was happening, maintained a cordon on the halfway line with Duckinfield wrongly believing this to be a hooligan incident.
As the days passed, newspaper columns became rife with rumour, speculation and outright lies. The reporting in the Sun was by far the most despicable. At the time, it was the nation’s biggest selling daily read by millions. It had the power to shape and influence public opinion, especially in working-class communities where football had its strongest following. The front page headline on the Wednesday after the disaster has come to exemplify the way that London journalists have little desire to pursue the truth, preferring instead to denigrate and demonise with lurid exaggeration and outright lies. With the hindsight of nearly twenty years, the report seems even more shocking than back in 1989. For those who need reminding, writ large in bold typeset across the front page were the words:
"The Truth: some fans picked pockets of victims; some fans urinated on the brave cops; some fans beat up PC giving kiss of life."
Read all about the tragedy and how fans were wrongly villified by the press.