Derry City and Bohemians FC condemn violent scenes

Derry City FC and Bohemian FC have issued a joint statement condemning violence that occurred before and after their League of Ireland clash on Friday evening.

A teenage boy and a man in his 20s needed hospital treatment after two groups attacked each other with sticks, bats and iron bars and damaged cars and property near the Ryan McBride Brandywell stadium.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) are trying to identify those involved in the violence on the Lecky Road and Lone Moor Road, which they believe was “pre-arranged”.

Both clubs expressed “great regret” that disturbances involving individuals with “no interest in supporting either team” endangered the safety of genuine fans.

Disorder broke out during and after the match, which had to be stopped at one point after a flare set fire to the pitch.

Footage on social media also shows fans ducking and running as fireworks explode around them.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) said they were investigating the trouble.

“The safety of everyone – supporters, players and staff – is, and will always be, of paramount importance,” the clubs said in their statement issued on Monday evening.

Derry City confirmed it has been working closely with its security team to review matchday procedures for visiting supporters.

Both clubs are also collaborating with the FAI as investigations continue.

The clubs concluded by stating they will make no further comment while the investigation remains ongoing.

Michael Kerrigan, chairman of Pride of Northside Derry City supporters’ club said those involved had nothing to do with football.

He said the violence was “sad to see”, especially after the magnificent spectacle of the Foyle Cup last week which, he said, was hugely successful and a “superb showcase for the city”.

Donna Brown, who lives near the stadium, said she and fellow residents tried to chase the crowd.

Ms Brown said it was a “scary” experience, especially for families with young children.

One neighbour, she said, had to take her young son to stay with his grandmother because he was “petrified”.

She said two neighbours’ cars were damaged and the situation quickly became “far too dangerous”.

Steven Egan is a lifelong Bohemians fan who travelled to Derry for the match and he believes the two clubs now have a collective responsibility to prevent a repeat of the violence.

The sides are due to meet again at Dalymount Park in Dublin on 12 September.

“There were some thugs, obviously, who came up who had arranged something and what happened wasn’t anything to do with the club or the genuine supporters,” he said.

“But I think the genuine supporters were the ones who suffered from the retaliation.

“Attacking two or three hundred supporters, including elderly supporters and children and there were some pregnant women in there as well, who were boxed in to a cage essentially, is not the way to do it and I think the club needs to have some way of protecting away supporters from those situations.”

Sinn Féin MLA Ciara Ferguson told BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme: “The clubs need to hold these young people to account.”

She said the priority now was to identify those who orchestrated and carried out the violence and bring them to justice.

“We saw masked youths armed with weapons fighting on the street and then turning on the PSNI,” she said.

“It was just terrifying for local residents, including children, who witnessed these events but, ultimately, any footage that is available needs to be sent to the PSNI.”

SDLP MLA Mark H. Durkan, who was at the match, said it was “imperative” that both clubs meet and take measures to ensure there is no repeat of the violence.

He described the scenes outside the stadium as “disgraceful” and “deeply upsetting” for local people and “genuine supporters”.

“Many of them were leaving early, they were afraid,” he said.

“I’ve never experienced an atmosphere like it at the Brandywell or at any football match anywhere.”

He said there was no place for violence or intimidation at a football match and described those involved as “thugs” and “hangers-on”.

DUP MP for East Londonderry, Gregory Campbell, said the violence raised questions about future policing at Brandywell stadium, where the PSNI do not have a regular presence inside.

“Lessons need to be learned and there needs to be lessons whether or not it’s going to be search and seizure of suspected people en route to the game,” said Campbell.

“This happens very occasionally where people use a football as an excuse for a riot and that’s what appears to have happened on Friday night, so action has to be taken to prevent that.”