The Emotions Surrounding The Hillsborough Independent Report
Advertisement
Its been a long week, hasn't it? Weve all learnt things that only a select few knew before and heard truths that we thought were simply impossible. The Hillsborough Independent Report, which was released last Wednesday, exposed many of these things. It exposed the crimes against the 96 victims and famlies in addition to crimes against the survivors. It brought to life the truth when at times we thought it had been killed by the establishment. The REAL truth this time. For the people of Merseyside, we always knew the truth. It has never escaped us. I know I wasnt shocked when the findings of the report came out, the confirmation of a cover up was precisely that, a confirmation of institutionalised dishonesty. What has surprised me though, is that the lies published in that newspaper 23 years ago were actually believed by elements of the British public. In Liverpool, we never believed that the supporters were the villains. We couldn't even consider turning against our own like that. The report proves that these fans were heroes, not villains, who stepped up when the establishment failed. Their desperate attempts to carry out CPR and transport casualties with makeshift stretchers were nothing short of heroic. Yet after many years of these pictures being broadcast and published, there were some who chose not to believe what they have seen with their own eyes. Why is that? I was looking through my twitter timeline on the day the report came out, and a contact of mine tweeted an apology. An apology for believing what Kelvin Mackenzie wrote in that excuse of a newspaper which was sold across the nation on Wednesday the 19th April 1989. Many more apologies subsequently appeared on the site. It was an endless amount of support and well wishes to those involved in the campaign. I have never had a second thought about the real truth, not for one moment, but what did so many people around the country think about the people of Liverpool during the time without the report? The newspaper in question was, and still is, the most popular in the United Kingdom. Due to this, a blank cheque was given to an editor whose ideas, theories and lies gave many people a perspective no matter how inaccurate that perspective was. According to the report, the press sources were two South Yorkshire Policemen and a Tory MP. How surprised the city of Liverpool was to hear this. Eventually, 23 years after Patnick co-operated in this scandal, a Conservative representative made an apology for what happened during the events of Hillsborough and what was carried out in the following years. It was an apology in the most public of places and it was made by none other than the Prime Minister himself. Think what you may of Camerons statement in the House of Commons, but I respect the fact that the epitomy of the UK establishment finally stepped up after all these years. More importantly, to me, it was an honest apology. To this day, the people of Liverpool dont buy that newspaper. It stabbed a knife in the back of the city when it was at its most vulnerable. To forgive and forget is unspeakable. How can we forgive a man who published lies slamming our city to the core and claim it was the absolute truth? Why should we? He knew exactly what he did. They knew exactly what they did. An apology 23 years after the event does not merit a response in Liverpool. Since the disaster, the tabloid paper has been boycotted in Merseyside and, as a result of the report, there have been more and more calls for it to be shut down. This week has exposed raw feeling and emotion but it has been the week the truth came out. After 23 years of hurt and lies, the city and most importantly the families, now have what they needed. This report gave what the Taylor Report couldnt; an absolute confirmation that Hillsborough represents the biggest cover up in post war legal history. In the fight for justice, were finally getting there, but things need to be sorted now that we have the truth. Justice needs to be done. The families of the 96 met over the weekend and discussed a way forward. We await the outcome of these deliberations. But possibly the most vital thing to be taken from this week is that unity and decency still exist in the modern game. The tributes from other football clubs and supporters around the league have given hope to us all at this very important and traumatic time in English football. Whether it be the tributes at the Stadium of Light, the Madjeski or the chants of Justice at the Santiago Bernabeu this week, these fans have been a credit to their respective clubs and cities. I would also like to mention the fans and representatives of Everton FC. Ever since the tragedy occurred at the Leppings Lane end in 1989, they have been with Liverpool fans in our attempts to return to stability and normality. On the pitch, we have been rivals and opponents. Off the pitch, when it comes to the issue of Hillsborough, we have been one city and never two clubs. Thanks Blues. The 96 have done so much for modern football, yet we shouldnt remember them for that alone. They had families and lives and futures. They couldnt fulfil their dreams in life, but they deserved the truth. The real truth about those fateful events finally came to light this week in the Independent Report, and justice should now surely follow. JFT96