Two Manchester United fans were arrested for alleged tragedy chanting relating to the Hillsborough disaster.
The alleged tragedy chanting happened during Sunday’s FA Cup quarterfinal between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trattford.
United advanced to the semi-final, 4-3, after scoring in the last minute of stoppage time.
However, the tragedy chant overshadowed one of the greatest FA Cup ties of all time.
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Zero-tolerance for tragedy chanting
Chief Inspector James Collins spoke on the details regarding the incident.
“I would like to thank the vast majority of supporters who came along to enjoy what turned out to be an intense game right to the very last minute.”
“The arrests made were the result of us taking a proactive, zero-tolerance approach to ensure that genuine supporters and spectators were able to enjoy the match safely.”
“GMP can confirm that a 21-year-old and a 59-year-old man were arrested in connection with tragedy chanting. Incidents of tragedy chanting will not be tolerated and will be dealt with robustly.”
“We are aware of the reported tragedy chanting during [Sunday’s] FA Cup fixture between Manchester United and Liverpool, and we will be liaising with and supporting Greater Manchester Police,” the statement said.
“We strongly condemn any offensive, abusive, and discriminatory chants in football stadiums, and we are determined to stamp this behavior out.
“It is entirely unacceptable and can have a lasting and damaging impact on people and communities within our game. It must stop, and we support any club and their fans who try to eradicate this from the terraces.”
What happened in Hillsborough
The alleged tragedy chant referenced the 1989 Hillsborough disaster that took place in Liverpool’s Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England.
The unfortunate tragedy happened during the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
97 people lost their lives when the crushing happened.
