TURKEY: SECURITY ON MAXIMUM ALERT IN INSTANBUL AS LEEDS AND GALATASSARAY FANS ARRIVE FOR UEFA CUP SEMI FINAL TIE MARRED BY LEEDS FANS DEATHS

Record ID: 924654

  • Title: TURKEY: SECURITY ON MAXIMUM ALERT IN INSTANBUL AS LEEDS AND GALATASSARAY FANS ARRIVE FOR UEFA CUP SEMI FINAL TIE MARRED BY LEEDS FANS DEATHS
  • Date: 12th May 2015
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (APRIL 6, 2000) (REUTERS) PAN AROUND INSIDE STADIUM, SHOWING ALSO PITCH VIEW OF STANDS FROM BEHIND NET
  • Embargoed: 6th July 2005 19:42
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ISTANBUL, TURKEY
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: Crime,Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVAS98958RMYBGQXGZK2HB49BU9
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Maximum alert in Turkey as fans started to arrive at
    the stadium where Leeds face Galatassaray in the UEFA Cup
    first leg semifinal in the night of Wednesday (April 6).

    The chairman of the Galtasaray football club called the
    incident unacceptable at any scale.

    Leeds United supporters spat at Turkish bystanders and
    chanted "Murderers" and "Scum" as hundreds of police ushered
    them past hissing, booing crowds into the Ali Sami Yen stadium
    on Thursday (April 6) for a UEFA cup match overshadowed by
    violent death.

    Several hundred English fans arrived at the stadium in an
    atmosphere seething with animosity following the death of two
    Leeds supporters of stab wounds suffered in street fights on
    the eve of their team's first leg UEFA Cup semi-final against
    Galatasaray.

    "We are all sad over the incidents yesterday night.Our
    business with English are not in streets but would be always
    in green fields.With Gods will, we would beat them and pay
    farewell", a young Galatasaray supporter stated.

    English fans arriving at the ground were escorted by
    police to an isolated area, official flags were fliyng ah half
    mast and authorities were also trying to collect banners used
    by Galatassaray with the provocative slogan "Welcome to hell."
    More English fans and Faruk Suren, the chairman of
    Galatasaray football club were among the passengers arrving in
    Istanbul.Calling the incident unacceptable, Suren said:
    "No matter what, even if it had been a national (match), nobody
    has the right to kill another.Well, this is nothing to be
    forgiven."
    The incidentes in Istambul brought memories from 1985,
    when English clubs were banned indefinitely after the Heysel
    Stadium tragedy in Brussels in which 39 people, mainly
    Italian, died as a result of rioting before Liverpool's
    European Cup final against Juventus.

    A group of English fans came carrying flowers."We brought
    these out of respect for the martyrs of Leeds," said one who
    asked not to be named."We are going to throw them on the
    pitch as the players come on."
    Police said four other Leeds supporters and a Turkish man
    had been injured in fighting on Wednesday evening in
    Istanbul's central Taksim entertainment district.Two of the
    Britons were in a serious condition.

    Before the game, Leeds fans holed up in hotel lobbies said
    they were worried about getting to and from the game but
    wanted the match to go ahead.

    "This is unbelievable," said one."You come here to watch
    a football game, you don't come here to die."
    British officials identified the dead as Christopher
    Loftus, 37, and Kevin Speight, age unknown.Those with Loftus
    when he was killed said they were ambushed as they came out of
    a bar.

    "This was a premeditated attack.We came out of a bar and
    there were 100 people waiting for us with machetes, knives,
    bits of chair and table legs and they just attacked us," said
    middle-aged Leeds supporter Steve Wilkinson."The police did
    nothing, in fact they were helping them beat us up."
    Wilkinson, with knife wounds to one leg and a hand in
    bandages, sat in a hotel lobby with 10 other English fans all
    bruised and bandaged, some bearing stab wounds.

    "If it wasn't premeditated then why were the TV cameras
    and police there?" said Wilkinson."To stab someone in the
    chest is intent to murder and these guys should be tried for
    that."
    He said he and others had picked out Loftus's alleged
    killer in a police line-up in the early hours of the morning.

    Security measures at the stadium remained high with
    thousands of police patrolling the area, going through thick
    body search.

    Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale said details of how the
    confrontation began were sketchy.

    "There was some suggestion Leeds fans were getting
    boisterous but there was also a very clear indication that
    Turkish supporters came to confront them already equipped with
    knives," he said."It's going down as one of those black
    nights in history unfortunately."
    A Galatasaray official said the incident had nothing to do
    with the Turkish club."The incident is very, very sad.I
    don't think it reflects in any way on Galatasaray," board
    member Aziz Ustel told the BBC."We have had previous matches
    with all the European clubs in Turkey and nothing has ever
    happened.

    "This is the first time such an incident has taken place
    in Istanbul." Turkish police have previously confiscated
    knifes, hatchets and kebab-cutters ahead of big matches.

    Stabbing and even shooting incidents are not unknown after
    domestic games.

    "Visiting English supporters were beaten and mercilessly
    killed in Istanbul's most crowded and 'safest' centres, while
    police watched," Turkey's Human Rights Association said."We
    condemn this crime, which results from racism and barbarity."

    Turkish police said the clashes erupted when drunken
    English fans insulted and taunted Galatasaray supporters.

    The British foreign ministry said 13 Turkish nationals had
    been arrested following the violence.Turkey's NTV television
    said 16 Leeds fans had been deported.

    "Turkish police have given assurances that they will do
    everything in their power to bring those responsible to
    justice," a British official told Reuters.

    Television footage showed fans brandishing sticks and
    hurling chairs during the clashes.One Leeds fan was shown
    giving the kiss of life to another man lying apparently
    lifeless on the street, his shirt soaked in blood.

    Galatasaray Coach Fatih Terim had earlier called on
    supporters to give Leeds a traditional "Welcome to Hell" in
    the intimidating Ali Sami Yen stadium."Their chanting should
    make Ali Sami Yen Hell for Leeds United."
    Leeds supporters hung up a giant poster in their hotel:
    "Hello Hell, We are Leeds," it read.

    Although English fans have a long record of violence
    abroad, British media said Leeds fans had not been involved in
    any major incidents of hooliganism since May 1990 when they
    went on the rampage in the English seaside resort of
    Bournemouth.
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