No reports of stabbings say Met police
An eyewitness subsequently told the Middlesborough Gazette how she watched in horror as a Boro fan was stabbed during post-match violence at West Ham.The eyewitness claimed that a fan was stabbed in the leg, and a video, filmed by Boro supporters.
Julie Henry, from Marton, said: “They stabbed someone in front of me. Stewards came and laid him on this bench and the blood was just pouring out of him.There was an open wound in his left leg. He was about 55 years old and was just laid there.A little boy was hiding under the bus, he was that scared. I’ve been going to Boro games all over the world since 1968 and I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Metropolitan Police said they had no reports of any injuries. Of the three arrested, two were on suspicion of affray, with one suspected of possessing an offensive weapon. The third was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.
It is not yet known if those arrested are Boro or West Ham supporters.
Coach driver Gary Buxton, who drove one of the club’s official coaches to the Olympic Stadium, said: “As soon as they scored there were bottles of beer being thrown into the crowd.We didn’t see a police presence at all. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life, and I’ve been going for 30 years. About 70-80 supporters were taking refuge in our bus.”
Another fan, Matthew Cooke, was hit in the head with a two pound coin. He said: “It was absolute bedlam. After the match, outside the away end, there were fans being kept back by stewards.There were kids crying and women screaming.Once the police turned up, it had stopped.”
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: “Three men have been bailed pending further enquiries following their arrests in connection with a disturbance outside the ground following the West Ham and Middlesbrough match on Saturday 1 October.”
A 26-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of affray has been bailed. A 49-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of affray and possessing an offensive weapon has also been bailed.
A 47-year-old man, who was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, has been bailed.
A Middlesborough club spokesman said: “We are disappointed to hear of the allegations concerned with events during and after yesterday’s game.As a club we will support and cooperate fully with any subsequent investigations.”