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Celta de Vigo - Police Brutality
This is a section from an independant report on Celtic FC's visit to Celta de Vigo's stadium for the UEFA Cup clash last season.
The main findings of the report were as follows:
The Review Team was provided with a number of witness accounts and media reports outlining excessive and aggressive police action directed specifically at Celtic supporters. These included instances of gratuitous and unprovoked assault, aggressive, intimidating and confrontational police methods, unhelpful behaviour in relation to the confusing ticketing and access arrangements and overcrowding in sections of the stadium, with access to toilet and refreshment facilities either limited or denied.
Language, signage and the good communication of arrangements (with contingency plans) are key elements. In Vigo the planned approach became undone with unclear transport arrangements and pre-match celebrations in and around the stadium. Access and egress issues also combined to contribute to the confusion.
A far greater number of fans were allowed access than tickets permitted and thus the specified section of the stadium was overcrowded. Also it appears that tickets for the home section of the stadium had been available to Celtic supporters from the host club right up to kick-off.
Vigo airport is a small provincial airport, unused to and arguably incapable of, handling the numbers of visiting supporters who follow Celtic FC without substantial re-configuration for the event. Both on arrival and departure it is accepted that chaos reigned.
Quite damning actually.
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