Hillsborough - Origin of the official lie

The ever charismatic Graham Kelly arrives in the South Yorkshire Police operational control centre at Hillsborough to take charge of the situation and demand some answers from Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield.

Duckenfield later admitted under oath having lied about fans forcing the gate. He had in fact himself given the order for an external gate to be unlocked and open to relieve a potentially life-threatening crush building up *outside* the ground, caused by a last minute rush of Liverpool supporters arriving late due to delays on the M62 to Sheffield rushing forward when they realised the match was or had started.

His officers then channelled all the newly arrived mass of fans down the central tunnel under the already dangerously overcrowded Leppings Lane terrace, rather than filling up the under-capacity side pens of the terrace to the left and right of the central tunnel.

Fans at the back were unaware of the log-jammed compression conditions at the front of the terrace and continued to rush and push forwards, the game now having started in earnest.

By this point, Duckenfield's officers had totally lost control of the sitution and in the absence of clear orders or directions began to panic and react in a totally disorganised manner to the horrors they were witnessing pressed up against the wire.

Meanwhile, the disaster plays out on live TV in front of millions, as John Motson offers a running commentary on events.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Hillsborough
• 1996
• 3
• 3