"Apologies Issued" UK Police Apologize 34 Years After Hillsborough Disaster

NPCC and Police Association: "Police Failure is the Cause of the Tragedy"
Police Have So Far Blamed Football Fans

[Asia Economy Culture Intern Reporter Young] British police have officially apologized to the families of the victims 34 years after the Hillsborough disaster, considered the worst loss of life in British history. At the same time, they announced plans to review the police code of ethics. The Hillsborough disaster was a crush accident that occurred on April 15, 1989, during the FA Cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, UK. At that time, 97 people were crushed to death and more than 760 were injured. Despite the crowd far exceeding the stadium's capacity, the police opened the gates further, and the match was eventually stopped after 6 minutes. Teenagers (38 people) and people in their twenties (40 people) accounted for the majority of the deceased.

A football fan honoring the victims at the 26th anniversary memorial service of the Hillsborough disaster held on April 15, 2015.
[Photo by AFP News Agency]

On the 31st of last month, the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) and the Police Federation issued a joint statement apologizing to the victims and their families, stating that "police failure was a major factor in the tragedy." The joint statement also included plans to establish new ethical guidelines, such as the "Guidelines on Communication with Disaster Victims' Families," which emphasize the principles of "prioritizing the interests of bereaved families" and "the duty to tell the truth." Furthermore, the police acknowledged past mistakes, including blaming intoxicated Liverpool fans for the accident and repeatedly releasing false information to criticize the Hillsborough victims' families.

Martin Hewitt, Chair of the NPCC, said, "I wanted to apologize on behalf of the police leadership," adding, "The longer the police apology was delayed, the greater the pain for the families." Andy Marsh, Chair of the UK Police Federation, also admitted wrongdoing, stating, "Police failure was the main cause of the tragedy, and the mishandling after the disaster continued to devastate the lives of the victims' families."

At the time of the Hillsborough disaster, the police characterized the incident as "rioting by some drunken football fans," blaming the so-called hooligans, fanatic British football supporters. In August 1989, an inquiry led by Judge Lord Taylor pointed out that the cause of the disaster was police control failure, but no disciplinary action was taken against the police. The families of the victims persistently worked to uncover the truth of the incident and, through reviewing secret documents and investigations, confirmed that the police had manipulated or deleted unfavorable statements. Ultimately, in 2016, the court ruled that responsibility for the Hillsborough disaster lay with the police, not the actions of the victims.