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Government try to block publication of Hillsborough files

Unigal07Unigal07 Posts: 22,326
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http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/2199

Please read the information and sign the above petition. No matter what club you support, football doesn't matter. Normal people are still suffering from the pain of the Hillsborough disaster - there was a suicide recently, a man who sold his ticket to his mate that fateful day suffered for 22 years and took his own life recently. He couldn't forgive himself.

We all have a right to see these files and see Thatcher's thoughts on the matter. Please sign the petition and encourage others to do the same. Thousands of people are still grieving and still hurting. They deserve to know exactly what happened and they deserve JUSTICE and closure.

Once signed, please check your emails. Your signature won't be counted unless you click the link in the email to confirm your email address.
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    Sara WebbSara Webb Posts: 7,885
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    Well said.

    There were 6000 signatures when I added my name to the list last night... good to see that more and more people are signing.
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    Unigal07Unigal07 Posts: 22,326
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    Yep we are doing quite well.

    Was hoping for a few more replies but just signing an e-petition may be too time consuming for some. This is so important to so many people. Every signature counts!
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    Richie1001Richie1001 Posts: 8,217
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    Done and done - have also emailed the link to others to sign. Almost 18,000 on there now.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,362
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    i didn't reply as previously done.

    The Hillsborough Independent Panel will get to see these files and the families BUT not sure how they are going to arrange that with so many, ie how will they decide who is important enough family to see it, at the end of the day these files after the families have had time to digest should be made public for the world to see WHAT went on!
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    edduk1981edduk1981 Posts: 2,215
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    nearly 20000 now and i have posted the link on my fb account asking people to sign it
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    alancrackeralancracker Posts: 5,280
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    Anything to do with Hillsborough really gets me angry and tbh the govt response is totally predictable. There are so many so called leaders who i am supposed to respect and look up to and I just don't - I only respect people cos of how they are not who they are, in short they have to earn my respect and hardly any politicians have ever done that.

    So of course I will sign it and i urge all others to do so too whatever team you support or even whether you are a football fan or not - this is a justice issue, an issue to do with authorites treating ordinary people with contempt and abdicating their responsibilities by covering up their failings, it is not primarily tbh to do with Liverpool Football Club and so even if you do not like LFC or its fans if you like truth and justice then you should sign this.
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    MandarkMandark Posts: 47,964
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    I can't see how the government will be successful in blocking any release of the files to be honest. It was hardly a matter of national security and any failings by the police and other decision makers were highlighted in the inquiries and would have been corrected in publicly available procedures and policy manuals by now. Also, personal opinions on the matter by significant persons of the time can hardly be regarded as a state secret or national security matter. We're not China! That's why the information commissioner was happy to release the documents.
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    TheSlothTheSloth Posts: 18,887
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    Post the link on your Facebook page folks - here it is again:

    http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/2199

    People power will get justice in the end if we all make an effort.
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    Wallasey SaintWallasey Saint Posts: 7,627
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    Petition signed
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    Unigal07Unigal07 Posts: 22,326
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    Thanks everyone! Will try and keep this thread going so others see it.
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    Unigal07Unigal07 Posts: 22,326
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    Nearly 23,000 signatures now in about 24 hours!

    Only 77,000 to go.
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    CRTHDCRTHD Posts: 7,602
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    What are people hoping to read in these files?

    Problems were recognised, lessons were learnt, stadiums were changed to make them more safe.

    What is to be achieved by rehashing it all again?
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    MandarkMandark Posts: 47,964
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    I'm guessing that a few ministers, like the Sun and the odd policeman, probably blamed the whole incident on yobs at the time when the subsequent inquiries showed this not to be the case etc... Just like most secrets held by the state it's probably more about hiding embarrassment than anything else.
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    Unigal07Unigal07 Posts: 22,326
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    CRTHD wrote: »
    What are people hoping to read in these files?

    Problems were recognised, lessons were learnt, stadiums were changed to make them more safe.

    What is to be achieved by rehashing it all again?

    The families who lost people deserve to know what went on behind the scenes. They haven't just lost their family members, their names were dragged through the dirt by The Sun newspaper, to this day they and the victims still have not had justice for what happened. As I mentioned in the OP, this is not just in the past. People are still suffering.

    If you want more information I recommend this website:
    http://www.contrast.org/hillsborough/aims.shtm
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    Hugh JboobsHugh Jboobs Posts: 15,316
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    Unigal07 wrote: »
    The families who lost people deserve to know what went on behind the scenes. They haven't just lost their family members, their names were dragged through the dirt by The Sun newspaper, to this day they and the victims still have not had justice for what happened. As I mentioned in the OP, this is not just in the past. People are still suffering.

    If you want more information I recommend this website:
    http://www.contrast.org/hillsborough/aims.shtm

    I keep hearing about people wanting "justice" over this.

    What "justice" do they want exactly? In real terms, what would satisfy them?

    Do they want to see someone serve a jail sentence over it? Or what?

    (Genuine questions by the way. I'm not trying to provoke an argument.)
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,362
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    I keep hearing about people wanting "justice" over this.

    What "justice" do they want exactly? In real terms, what would satisfy them?

    Do they want to see someone serve a jail sentence over it? Or what?

    (Genuine questions by the way. I'm not trying to provoke an argument.)

    For someone who said I dislike Liverpool with a passion

    i don't buy that, and if you knew the crap that was spouted (or wanted to know) it would be a question you would not have to ask.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 460
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    CRTHD wrote: »
    What are people hoping to read in these files?

    Problems were recognised, lessons were learnt, stadiums were changed to make them more safe.

    What is to be achieved by rehashing it all again?

    The only enquiry into Hillsborough decided to only hear evidence from up until 3.15pm, despite the fact that medical experts and eye witness accounts stated that many of the people who died could have been and where alive after 3.15pm. Families have had their questions about the cause answered (though nobody has been accountable) but their questions about the emergency response have never been heard, nevermind answered.

    44 ambulances sat outside the stadium after being told they weren't allowed to go in. Those paramedics could have saved who knows how many, but instead it was left to fans to check for pulses, throw coats over the ones they thought where dead and stretcher the ones still alive (incorrectly on their backs rather than their fronts) to the assistance sat waiting. And that is just one aspect of it.

    The possibility of a cover up is very real.
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    darkjedimasterdarkjedimaster Posts: 18,621
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    I keep hearing about people wanting "justice" over this.

    What "justice" do they want exactly? In real terms, what would satisfy them?

    Do they want to see someone serve a jail sentence over it? Or what?

    (Genuine questions by the way. I'm not trying to provoke an argument.)

    Families of the 96 & Liverpool fans want the truth to what happened on that tragic day, so that they can finally have closure & allow their loved ones to R.I.P. Everyone knows that the police lied about what happened on that day, also we want to know the truth to why the cut off time was at 3:15, when there were still people alive after that time & that, why was The Major Accident Vehicle was not sent for until 3:29.

    Here is a great site which gives you all the information you need.

    http://www.contrast.org/hillsborough/history/buildup1.shtm

    I have signed the petition & can only hope that the truth does eventually come out so that the families of the 96 angels can have some closure. I had a hunch that the government would appeal against the release of the files, we can only hope that this appeal is ignored & that the truth comes out.

    JFT96 YNWA.
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    CRTHDCRTHD Posts: 7,602
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    kellan_x wrote: »
    ....... Families have had their questions about the cause answered (though nobody has been accountable) but their questions about the emergency response have never been heard, nevermind answered.

    44 ambulances sat outside the stadium after being told they weren't allowed to go in. Those paramedics could have saved who knows how many, ....

    The possibility of a cover up is very real.

    One can only "feel" for those affected by the tragedy but I can't see what good can be done by revisiting it after such a long time.

    Nor do I see how it can be shown who was accountable.

    Perhaps blame could be laid at the door of the previous generation of fans who made it neccesary for the barrier fences to be installed in the first place?

    As to why the emergency services were not allowed in - at a guess because it was decided it was too dangerous to allow them in?
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    CoenCoen Posts: 5,711
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    Signed, it's only right that there is full disclosure of all documents. Without knowing what those documents might contain it's impossible to know what further answers they might provide.
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    Hugh JboobsHugh Jboobs Posts: 15,316
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    For someone who said I dislike Liverpool with a passion

    i don't buy that, and if you knew the crap that was spouted (or wanted to know) it would be a question you would not have to ask.

    Oh dear. My dislike of Liverpool as a city has nothing whatsoever to do with the Hillsborough disaster. Poor show on your part to try and suggest otherwise.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,362
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    CRTHD wrote: »
    One can only "feel" for those affected by the tragedy but I can't see what good can be done by revisiting it after such a long time.

    Nor do I see how it can be shown who was accountable.

    Perhaps blame could be laid at the door of the previous generation of fans who made it neccesary for the barrier fences to be installed in the first place?

    As to why the emergency services were not allowed in - at a guess because it was decided it was too dangerous to allow them in?

    I won't got into it to much as it will be seen as that myth that Liverpool fans can't let it go,

    96 Families want to know how their loved ones died

    96 Families want to know why their loved ones died

    96 Families want to know why lies were told

    96 Families want to know why nobody who told those lies were made to tell the truth

    96 Families want closure as the lies and rumours have made that impossible


    You have asked a question i have highlighted, and there is the crux of all this, no one has been told the truth, and if someone did decide it was because they thought it was to dangerous, then they got it wrong and people died because of that decision, and again i won't go into the 3-15pm cut off point, which was decided to allow those mistakes to become fact.

    96 Families and many many more have been effected by what happened that day, and if bloody Sunday can reach the truth, we have people from the war decided they were not cowards, then time should not matter,

    I don't think anyone but the 96 Families, hundreds of relatives,
    thousands of friends, can decide if they want to forget they just want THE TRUTH.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 460
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    CRTHD wrote: »
    One can only "feel" for those affected by the tragedy but I can't see what good can be done by revisiting it after such a long time.

    That is exactly what certain people wanted to happen - that if they held out on answering questions for long enough the people of Liverpool wouldn't be bothered any more and they would stop asking because it didn't matter and was old news - but the families have just as much right to know what happened today as they had back in '89 and I'm really struggling to understand how some can't see the point of finding out the truth for them. Forget the cover up speculation and the justice talk for a second and think of it on a personal level - these families just want to know how and why their loved ones died and there will always be a reason to provide answers to those questions for anybody in any circumstances.
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    alancrackeralancracker Posts: 5,280
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    It's inevitable isn't it that on a thread about Hillsborough some 'anti' people would post - why do they want justice?, blame pre 1989 fans, too dangerous to allow emergency vehicles in, ... etc.

    Could really go 'off on one' about this as hardly any other incident in history brings out stronger feelings in me but I will give a brief response and some observations

    I am an ordinary bloke, brought up on Merseyside in the 60s and 70s and cos my working class Dad was a LFC supporter I also support LFC. By some I would now maybe not be regarded as working class as I did a degree and for 33 years have been a teacher - i am now a Head of Department in a secondary school which is a pretty good job but deep down I know I am just the same working class lad who loves football whose Dad took him to matches as he was growing up - like countless other such Dads round the country.

    Countless others like me love football and many of them love LFC and are just ordinary people - 96 such folk went to watch the FA Cup semi final in 1989 and died there - largely cos of police incompetance and since then the authorities have constantly wriggled out of their responsibiliites by lying and covering up their role in what happened.

    Put yourself in the position of the friends and relatives of the 96 who died - yes nothing can bring them back but at the very least you need to hear the truth about what happened and not have to endure people 'covering their own back' about what went on. Sadly now many will not be able to have that as they have now died themsaelves but it is something which almost all Liverpool fans feel close to their hearts and are united about - we will not rest till we see justice for our fellow ordinary LFC fans - we realise it could so easily have been us.

    The biggest culprit was a policeman called Duckinfield who was in charge on the day who failed totally and even before 5 o'clock was lying to TV about the role of LFC fans which was disgusting - that man never returned to work after 1989 and retired to the south coast on a fat pension where to my knowledge he still lives. He is one that should face justice for a start but it is wrong to just accuse him as the whole police mentality towards football fans at that time was wrong as we were all tarred with the same brush even tho the bad ones were a small minority. Subsequently police statements were altered or deleted so that the police response did not appear so bad.

    I liken it to Bloody Sunday - those involved in that knew there had been a terrible injustice and for the sake of closure wanted the truth to come out in an offical statement - when that occurred a year or two ago then people began to be able to move on. The same would be true I think for the Hillsborough families - whenever I hear them speak it upsets me as they seem to behave with so much diginity and are so 'ordinary' and humble with few coming over as wanting vengeance - all they want is for justice and the truth to come out - and it is heartening when I hear the support that they have from the whole football community. Last Saturday on LFC TV there was an interview with a Sunderland fan who was supporting her team at Anfield but took time to visit the Hillsborugh shop and memorial - she had started a facebook site called I think Sunderland JFT96 and it said many other clubs had such sites too - brilliant!! = cos make no mistake this is a matter for all fans not just those of Liverpool FC.
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    Unigal07Unigal07 Posts: 22,326
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    There are several very good posts in here now that explain WHY football fans all round the world still want justice for the Hillsborough victims and families affected.

    Chances are, something has been covered up. People are still grieving and still torn up about it. ALL files on Hillsborough need to be revisited. As people have said, no evidence was taken into account if it occurred after 3.15pm... yet ambulances couldn't get onto the pitch until 3.30pm by which time, many fans would have already been killed.

    Yes it's been a long time, and to be honest I do understand why people ask why it should all be revisited and dug up etc, e.g. "What is there to achieve now?" or "Can't it just be forgotten about?" For example, my father is an exception - he was there at Hillsborough. He survived. But he never wants to think about it again.

    But, actually, it can't just be forgotten about. It is a CRIME that 96 people went to a football match and never returned. It is a CRIME that has not been fully investigated. The families of the victims deserve for all the evidence to be looked at. They also deserve to know about any cover up that may have taken place.

    People ask what we're gaining by revisiting the case. I ask what we're gaining by NOT revisiting the case? Nothing. We want justice. The families deserve justice. So we'll do all we can. As I pointed out, someone committed suicide recently, which was thought to be partly due to his grief and guilt over his friend dying at Hillsborough. These people need closure.

    Signing the petition may help to get them that. Please take 2 minutes to sign the e-petition. It may not directly affect you, but could change other peoples' lives!
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