“WE are fans not criminals,” was the message as Hull City and Town marched through Huddersfield in protest at police restrictions.
Dozens of supporters from Hull hosted a rally highlighting a West Yorkshire Police clampdown on away travel to the fixture at the John Smith’s Stadium on Saturday.
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The so called “Bubble match” meant Hull fans were only allowed to attend if they travelled in the official police escort from Hartshead Moor services. Police also imposed a ticket limit of 1,700.
In response many angry Hull fans boycotted the televised fixture to launch a civil liberties protest. More than 70 were joined by a handful of Town supporters for a march from the railway station to a rally at Nelson Mandela Corner behind Huddersfield Library.
There they were addressed by one of the organisers, 15-year-old Hull fan, Louis Cooper, who had been embroiled in legal action against the police restrictions.
Louis’ legal challenge was dropped when a personal travel compromise was offered. But the teenager declined the offer and boycotted the fixture in solidarity with other fans.
He said: “I want to make West Yorkshire Police accountable for their ridiculous restrictions on both sets of fans. I want to bring to attention the insult caused to both clubs and their fans.
“The Huddersfield Town supporters have campaigned with us since day one.
“I’m only 15 but I’m already tired of being treated like a second class citizen just because I follow football. I’ve been knocked over by a police horse, threatened and bullied, kept on trains against my will and seen fans antagonised by the very people who are supposed to be keeping the peace.
“Football fans do not stop being members of the public when they go to a game.
“If we’re strong and united it’s only a matter of time before this out of date policing approach is consigned to history and we can start to live like normal human beings on a Saturday.”
Andy Dalton, editor of Hull City fanzine, Amber Nectar, said: “We’re perfectly capable of travelling freely and independently to away matches and interacting with other teams’ supporters. We don’t need to be treated like hooligans.”
Huddersfield-based Hull fans have been particularly hard hit by the rules. Mother and daughter, Sue and Kath Dyson, can both hear the action at the John Smith’s Stadium from their homes.
The lifelong Hull supporters boycotted the match after being told they would have to drive to Hartshead services to attend and would not be allowed to walk home at the final whistle.
Kath said: “We’re not attending the game as we don’t want to be treated like criminals.There’s no need for it, there’s no basis behind it, there’s not a history of arrests, nothing.”
Steve King from the Huddersfield Town Supporters Association, joined the march. “We’re standing side by side with them,” he said.“I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes, tarred as some kind of troublemakers just because they’re from the city of Hull.”
The protest also got the backing of former Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, who told The Examiner: “Hull City supporters today stood up for the rights of football fans everywhere. West Yorkshire Police must learn from this.”
The march of about 70 people was monitored by almost two dozen police officers, including police horses.
Chief Supt Tim Kingsman, Divisional Commander of Kirklees Police, claimed the march had ended peacefully following a successful policing operation. He said: “We worked closely with the organiser beforehand to help him facilitate the event safely, and I wish to thank those who took part for their conduct”.
