“It’s not about the fucking football is it,” one Bristol City supporter told me last night as Avon and Somerset’s finest surrounded the Robins pub a few minutes before kick-off.
Unfortunately, Bristol City versus Bristol Rovers was never going to pass off peacefully, with a minority of fans intent on causing trouble.
At around 8pm, riot police blocked off Winterstoke Road as a group of about a dozen men walked down from the direction of the Miners Arms on Bedminster Down Road, where objects had been thrown by City fans at a minibus containing Rovers fans.
There were no rival fans about in the violence that I witnessed, only police, and they were the main target of the aggression from some men who already had blood on their faces and shirts.
Scuffles broke out on Luckwell Road and I saw five arrests as the men were surrounded by officers in riot gear outside the new climbing centre.
ah so that’s why there was a police helicopter flying about all evening, bloody noisy thing
I vote we have sanctioned battles in the football grounds when the game’s not on. One group against another. North Versus South, East Versus West, This Street Versus That Street, Posers versus Rockers, This Bloke against That Bloke, One Man against his disagreeing inner monologue.
I bet they’re the first to complain about any taxes spent on social issues, or helping out those in need, and they spunk a load on the Police and it’s helicopter (according to Avon and Somerset police under the Freedom of Information act – £1,656 per hour). disgraceful