Regarded as one of the most horrid and sordid disasters to have rocked the world of football, 96 Liverpool supporters lost their life in the The Hillsborough disaster
For the family members of the 96 Liverpool supporters who unfortunately lost their lives during The Hillsborough Disaster in 1989, the last 32 years have been a long, arduous and painful wait.
While nothing can mitigate the loss of their loved ones, for the bereaved, today’s news offers some kind of solace. The South Yorkshire And West Midlands police force have agreed to offer compensation to 601 victims who were involved in the disaster owing to the coverup campaign run by the police ensuing the incident.
A settlement has been agreed following a civil claim for misfeasance in a public office with new investigations into the accident finding that the 96 men, women and children who died were unlawfully killed and Liverpool supporters had no hand in their deaths.
How Did Hillsborough Disaster Liverpool Victims Die?
96 Liverpool supporters had ended up losing their lives in 1989 during the FA Cup final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forrest. In what has regarded as the most calamitous crush ever inside a football stadium, 50,000 supporters had turned up to watch the FA Cup semi-final in the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield.
To try and relieve the ever growing crowd at the stadium, the police had decided to open an exit gate. It resulted in an excruciatingly painful stampede as 3,000 Liverpool supporters were bottled up inside a standing only area meant for only 1,600 people.
It subsequently lead to the death of 96 Liverpool supporters with the match having to be stalled only six minutes into play. The police had gone onto engage in a massive coverup to try and cover its tracks with it accusing Liverpool supporters of being responsible for the disaster.
Police Forces To Pay Compensation For 1989 Hillsborough Disaster
While the two police forces have finally agreed to pay up for the smear campaign they ran, one which resulted in no justice being delivered to the 96 departed supporters, no one has till date been officially convicted for the disaster. Three defendants, two retired police officers and a solicitor were however acquitted last week in accusations of perverting the course of justice.
A statement was issued by the lawyers after the compensation was reached upon. The police force will be paying the compensation to the family members of the victims as well owing to the mental trauma the coverup campaign caused them. Law firm Saunders Law offered the lead solicitors to fight the case on behalf of the aggrieved.
“Through this civil claim for misfeasance in a public office, 601 victims sought justice and accountability for the deliberate, orchestrated and thoroughly dishonest police cover-up that suppressed the truth about the responsibility of the police, and blamed the football supporters for the horrific events that unfolded at the Hillsborough Stadium on 15 April 1989.
“As a result of the cover-up, that was maintained for nearly 30 years, the victims, both the bereaved and the survivors, and their families and loved ones, suffered additional psychiatric injury,” the statement read.
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