June 01, (THEWILL) – Richard Bouigue, a deputy mayor of Paris, has asked the French government to quit “living in denial” and apologise to Liverpool fans for their treatment during the Champions League final in the city.
Outside the Stade de France, ugly scenes, including the use of tear gas, have overshadowed what was intended to be a magnificent moment, with Liverpool demanding an apology, after French officials continued to blame the disturbances on the Reds’ supporters.
Bouigue, who is the deputy mayor of Paris’s 12th arrondissement, wrote to Liverpool fan club Spirit of Shankly to express his displeasure with the treatment of fans, stating that fans could not have been wholly to blame for what occurred.
“I would like to express my deep regret for the serious incidents that took place at the beginning of the evening at the Stade de France and that prevented Liverpool fans from experiencing this long-awaited time of collective celebration,” he wrote.
“I bitterly regret that the Liverpool fans were singled out for criticism and that they were said to be solely responsible for the failure to organise the final.”
While noting the fans were organised prior to turmoil that occurred before the game, Bouigue continued:”I deplore the dysfunctions in the organisation of the game and the lack of maintenance of order that led to this real fiasco. We owe you – and ourselves as well – a serious and thorough investigation to be carried out in the next few days involving representatives of the Liverpool supporters and the competent English authorities.
“All light must be shed, the responsibilities identified, and improvements made so that this type of chaos, which must have revived the Hillsborough tragedy for many fans, never happens again.”
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
