LONDON (Reuters) -
Britain’s police chiefs have admitted that police failures were the main cause of the Hillsborough disaster of 1989 when 97 Liverpool FC fans were killed.
In a landmark joint statement, leaders of the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) issued an apology to the Hillsborough families.
In the foreword to the Hillsborough Families Report, Chief Constable Andy Marsh, CEO of the College of Policing and Martin Hewitt, chair of the NPCC, said: “Ninety-seven men, women and children were unlawfully killed. Police failures were the main cause of the tragedy and police failures have continued to blight the lives of family members ever since.”
It was at the start of an FA Cup semifinal between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest in 1989 that a crush led to 97 fans dying and almost 800 fans being hurt. The game at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield was abandoned after just a few minutes.
Since the tragedy, fans, backed by Liverpool FC, have fought for justice.
Marsh said Tuesday’s report explained long-term and more recent developments in how the police respond to mass fatality incidents.