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Find these fans who invaded West Ham pitch during riot
Felix Allen02.10.09
Police have released these photographs of football fans wanted for questioning over violence at the West Ham match against Millwall last month.
The men, thought to be West Ham supporters, were caught on CCTV during the three pitch invasions that marred the Hammers' Carling Cup win over their arch-rivals on 25 August.
Hundreds of fans clashed outside Upton Park stadium after what police described as a “pre-planned and orchestrated” confrontation. One Millwall fan was stabbed and hundreds of officers battled outside the ground with gangs from both clubs. It was said to be the worst football disturbance in a decade.
Gallery: Millwall and West Ham hooligans wanted by police
Scotland Yard is appealing to the public to help identify the pitch invaders — who face being banned from all football games in Britain and abroad. West Ham will publish the images on their website and in a future match programme.
Chief Supt Steve Wisbey, who was in charge of policing the match, said: “We will seek to obtain football banning orders for those responsible.” Seven of the 19 people arrested so far have been given banning orders. A number of others are on bail.
The Football Association has brought disciplinary charges against both clubs for allegedly failing to prevent the violence. They could be forced to play games behind closed doors.
Anyone with information should call 020 8217 5039 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Reader views (17)
How many illegal criminals are wondering around the streets right now?! we have murders and rapists walking around free and claiming benefits too no doubt.
Go get them and leave the football fans alone. They ran on the pitch, no1 was hurt, get over it!
- Serox, London
Danny, NW5 - If I was burgled, robbed or attacked, chances are it would be by people like these idiots who have little or no regard for the law, common sense or fellow human beings.
Paul R, do you really think the Police would have released these photos if they didn't believe these guys were involved in the violence? Just cos you're an idiot doesn't mean everyone else is.
LB - Hotheads? Organised violence is the worst kind as it not done out of desperation, poverty, mental illness or anger, but simply out of a perverse sense of excitement and absolute disregard for other people as human beings. These are the real scum.
- Liberal And Proud, London, UK
I cannot believe the effort the authorities are putting into this catching the idiots who invaded the pitch. This is some foolish excercise that is for public consumption and serves no purpose and wastes valuble resources when really they should be chasing the real criminals like, say, muggers or rapists. No, lets go for the white working class lads who invaded some football pitch because they are the real villans here!
- Gary, London
The police are very quick to realise wanted photos of people who.....ran onto a football pitch.....yet you never see them or the media lead campaigns with wanted photos of real scum of society.
Why?
Its a chance for the incompetent, publicity seeking Met to show how good they are.
Spending time catching a few hotheads at the football when London is riddled with crime, drugs and violence...well done Mr Plod
- Lb, London
The Plod won't catch them anyway, they are too stupid.
- Kerry, Purley
I remember when I was a boy aged about 9 running onto the pitch at the Orient to get the tags from a players socks. Now at the age of 47 I am looking forward to running on the pitch again, when Spurs eventually win the premier league. It may never come but football fans running on the pitch to celebrate a win is no more than jubilation not thugery.The police need to get there act together, they no who the real culprits are not a few drunk fans having a good old laugh. Look out for me even at the age of 70 I cant wait.
- Paul, NORTH LONDON
I am amazed at the retorts Lester may is getting. He says nothing about outside or inside. But Paul R yes there was no fighting in the ground, but the West Ham Fans were baying for blood. They intimidated the Millwall players, which I think put them off. Inisde the ground it was only the West Ham supoprters, and they wre acting like animals.No I am not a Millwall supporter, and yes I was there, it was happening right infront of me. I have seen comment sfrom WHU supporters who were in the ground and bragging about what they did. Yes there are serious crimes going on out there, but when thugs get away with this many think they can go further, and this will make this a lawless country.
- E Sullivan, London
For Paul R and others.
The stabbing was not related to any mass brawl outside the ground. A Millwall supporter (with tickets) in his forties and his sons made the mistake of going to the wrong end of the ground or wrong turnstile. From that error it was obvious that they were not home fans and were chased by a number of West Ham fans, which resulted in the Dad being stabbed in the chest.
I was at the game and none of my apparently "in the know mates" knew of any “pre-planned and orchestrated” confrontation. As it happens these things usually happen away from football grounds and it's just as likely that Millwall supporters just meet up on mass and all traveled together.
As much as I dislike WHU, getting life bans for running on the pitch in a bout of over exuberance is just ridiculous, particularly as the Fat man with the coin holder around his neck was so funny and has made his way into Millwall legend.
I do believe WHU should be fined for it as with adequate stewarding it shouldn't of happened.
- Mark, South-East London
Lester May, do you actually know anything about what happened?
Or are you just assuming that as these people who are football fans who were caught on film running onto a football pitch must be the same people who had a huge fight outside the ground resulting in someone being stabbed? The people inside the ground went to a football match, they had tickets. The people outside the ground went to fight, they didnt have tickets. They are completely separate from each other.
There was no fighting between fans inside the ground but hey, why dont you just believe there was because there are pictures of people inside the ground and very little surveillance of those outside? Lets hope there isnt a photo of me enjoying the match in the stands or you'll be accusing me of fighting outside, invading the pitch or stabbing someone too.
- Paul R, London
When you've been burgled, mugged or robbed and the Police are too busy to help out, just think they are wasting their time trying to catch exuberant football fans who committed the heinous crime of running on the pitch. Pathetic policing to media headlines.
Where were our ‘brave bobbies’ when Fiona Pilkington ended her life and her daughter’s after years of assaults, attacks and bullying?
- Danny, NW5
There was no violence on the pitch itself"Lester may,London"There was high spirits and maybe a bit of tom foolery from mostly young boisterous males,who for the most part are hard working lads on a night out!Its a sad reflection on society when what used to be termed a good night out is now tagged with the label by a paranoid society as youbish and thuggish behaviour.And it would serve as a example of the misdirection of police resources,resources that would be better spent on preventing say the baby p case,or maybe cases such as the poor family in Lancashire that killed themselves after the authorities failed to act for over 10 yrs,or,or,or!
- Kev, London-UK
This is absolutely the right thing for the police to do and it is a sad reflection on the acceptance of yobbo and loutish culture that other contributors here disagree.
Perhaps there men might give themselves up to the police now they are wanted. Otherwise, let's hope their employers inform the police. Who would want louts in their milieu? West Ham United certainly does not.
- Lester May, London
And the full weight of the law and the media shall be brought to bear on a group of people whose only claim to fame in there lives is to invade a football pitch!Have the police given up on policing,are they now just agents of social control!Stopping people drinking in the streets and parks,removing pictures from art galleries.
- Kev, London-UK
Why are the police making a witch hunt looking for a few fans who ran on the pitch in high spirits,if the police had done their jobs correctly these fans would not have been able to get onto the pitch,this fixture was given the highest grading as a potential flashpoint so why was the policing inadequate?.Anyone who informs on these fans should be ashamed of themselves,the use of cctv is becoming excessive,the police should get their priorities right and go after muggers,rapists,heroin dealers etc instead of wasting precious funds chasing a few drunk football fans who wrongly invaded the pitch in high spirit.
- Jim Ex Pat,Islington N1, thailand
As the saying goes, haven't they got anything better to do!
- Dc, london
Football fans are easy pickings for the police - a few fans ran on the pitch and jumped up and down hardly crime of the century
- Paul, Ealing
It's interesting that the police are very quick to let us have pictures of WHU fans whose only crime appears to have been running on a pitch yet they only the other day released CCTV pictures of the suspects in a particularly heinous rape, which happened some eighteen months ago.
It's good to see the police have their priorities right!!!
- Mark, South-East London
