The British government has asked the relatives of the 97 fans Liverpool FC apologized to those who died in a stadium accident 34 years ago.
“The Hillsborough families have suffered multiple injustices”said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday (December 6th, 2023). These included the loss of 97 lives, fan blame and the “unforgivable institutional defensiveness of public institutions”. “I’m deeply sorry for what you went through,” he said.
Hillsborough Charter to be introduced
The government announced the introduction of a so-called Hillsborough Charter. It states that public institutions must speak the truth after such tragedies in the future, regardless of the impact this has on their reputation. Critics say the charter does not go far enough.
Justice Minister Alex Chalk apologized on behalf of the government for the way it had treated the victims’ families over decades. “Of course the families can’t come to terms with this.”he said. “Grief is indeed a journey without a destination, but today is a milestone in that journey.”
Litigation exposed police misconduct
The Hillsborough disaster occurred on April 15, 1989 in Sheffield during a game against Nottingham Forest. Although the 54,000-capacity Hillsborough Stadium was already full, more than 2,000 Liverpool fans streamed into a standing area behind the goal. A total of 97 people were killed.
An initial investigation said it was an accident, which the victims’ families did not accept. Police misconduct was uncovered in a legal dispute lasting years. In 2016, a jury found the victims were “unlawfully killed.”