The Los Angeles Daily News published a story yesterday about the recent controversy generated by World Soccer Daily co-host Steven Cohen. From the article:

Cohen dove into the situation head-first when he said Liverpool’s fans should “share responsibility” in the blame.

“When people go to games without tickets and liquored up and 96 tragically die, at some point the fans have to share responsibility. You can’t just blame the police,” Cohen said.”I’m not saying they went with evil in their hearts to do it. Liverpool brought the same number of fans as the year before (to Hillsborough) even though they were at the smaller end of the stadium this time.

“I have expressed an opinion that there was a shared responsibility.”

The article goes on mention the death threats Cohen has received because of his comments. If you read the comments that have been left relating to the article, it’s not hard to believe Cohen’s claim of death threats.

Mel Abshier, the acting representative of the North American branches for Liverpool Football Club, is also quoted in the article.  This is the same group that has been heavily involved in putting pressure on World Soccer Daily sponsors and advertisers. From the article:

“Imagine USC (football) supporters going to a game, being told to go down a tunnel into a packed, standing-room only area. And due to the crush, 96 USC supporters died. One might ask one self, why those who went in should ’share responsibility’ in the deaths of their fellow supporters because basically that is Stevens claim.”

Except that’s not Steven’s claim. It’s not a simple case of fans being “told to go down a tunnel”. If you read the report from the official government inquiry of the Hillsborough disaster, the Taylor Report, it’s obvious there was more going on that horrible day than too many supporters being told to go down the wrong tunnel.  A good many Liverpool fans, for some unknown reason, were reluctant to enter the stadium and find a place to stand in the pens to watch the game. From the Interim Taylor Report (paragraph 57):

Towards the end of the morning, fans gathered on and around the bridge near the Leppings Lane entrance. They seemed reluctant to enter the ground early. All turnstiles were open at 12 noon and one or two as early as 11.30 am. Some 53 police had been deployed to operate outside the turnstiles and in the Leppings Lane area. They enquired at random whether fans had tickets. Those who had not were advised to go away; nevertheless, many returned more than once. Those who had tickets were guided in the right direction. The police tried to persuade them to enter the ground early. Officers, male and female, had been posted outside each turnstile with the duty of searching entrants for weapons, drink or drugs. Once through the turnstile, an entrant was liable to be searched again by one of a serial of officers positioned just inside.

Why would so many fans, especially those who needed to find a place to stand to watch the game, wait till the last minute to enter the stadium?

Also from the Interim Taylor Report (paragraph 64):

A drunken fan tried to push him off: a beer can was thrown at a mounted officer. But these were isolated acts by individuals;the menace came from the massive numbers single-mindedly determined to be in for the kick-off with time running out. At the back of the crowd fans were frustrated by the lack of progress as 3 o’clock approached. Some, mostly young men who had been drinking, tried to push and force their way forward. At the front, people were jammed together and against the turnstile walls. Some panicked as the pressure intensified. Some youngsters and women were fainting and in distress. They were helped out through the tubular barrier by turnstile G or were passed over the turnstiles elsewhere. Fans climbed up and over the turnstile building or on to the dividing fence. This was to escape the crush rather than to gain free entry since most of them had tickets.

It’s clear that conditions outside the stadium were quickly getting quite dangerous.

Also from the Interim Taylor Report (paragraph 67):

Superintendent Marshall realised the crowd had become unmanageable. Although loth to do so, since it was contrary to basic police strategy, he decided to request the exit gates be opened to relieve the pressure. Otherwise, he feared fatalities would occur. Other senior officers outside the ground agreed. At 2.47 pm he radioed control to permit the gates to be opened. At 2.48 pm, whilst Mr Duckenfield was considering the request, gate C opened to eject a youth who had climbed in with no ticket. Immediately, fans outside took advantage and about 150 managed to get in before a mounted officer enabled the gate to be closed again.

I think it’s clear from reading about this tragedy that there are a good many factors to blame for the disaster that happened.  Was Cohen wrong about 6,000 ticketless fans?  Probably, but there’s no denying that at least some of the fans there, the same fans that were mentioned in the Taylor Report that were single-mindedly determined to be in for the kick-off with time running out, helped contribute to the tragic events that transpired.  The Taylor Report mentions that there were some fans outside the stadium who did not have tickets and that they were turned away by the police only to return later on.  How many of them came through the exit gate when it was opened?  Nobody knows.

I encourage anyone that’s interested in this to read the entire interim Taylor Report.  Don’t just read the few paragraphs I have quted.  You can download a pdf version for free and read it yourself.