British fans condemn Champions League final chaos

LONDON: British politicians and fans on Sunday condemned the treatment of fans around the stadium before Saturday’s Champions League final, when French police sprayed tear gas on Liverpool supporters.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis told Sky News on Sunday: “It is concerning to see that people either didn’t get into the stadium or were ... treated with a very aggressive approach.”

Earlier the politician who oversees the sector, Secretary for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Nadine Dorries, tweeted of “troubling reports” from the stadium.

A Liverpool MP from the opposition Labour Party, Ian Byrne, tweeted that “I’ve just endured one of the worst experiences in my life. Horrendous security and organization putting lives at risk.”

Merseyside Police said in a statement that there were “distressing scenes at the match,” where its officers were deployed.

The force insisted “the vast majority of fans behaved in an exemplary manner.”

Liverpool players were set to take part in an open-top bus parade through the city on Sunday afternoon despite losing in Paris. Police said the city would be “very busy.”

Liverpool Mayor Joanne Anderson tweeted: “I know many have had a distressing time,” adding that she supported the club’s “call for an explanation into what happened before kickoff.”

Liverpool supporters’ association Spirit of Shankly wrote on Twitter that “Last night was totally shambolic & extremely dangerous — we are gathering evidence from fans & @FansEurope and will be making a statement later.”

One fan, Paul Machin said in a YouTube video that what he witnessed in Paris was “unlike anything I’ve seen at a football match before,” condemning “totally and utterly reprehensible behavior from the French police